Israel Should Worry More About Declining US Support Than Abdul El-Sayed's Primary Win

Israeli political analyst Shlomo Shamir argues that the recent focus on Abdul El-Sayed's victory in the Michigan Democratic Senate primary is exaggerated and distracts from more pressing concerns about Israel's standing in the United States. While El-Sayed, a physician known for his left-wing views and criticism of Israel, defeated establishment candidate Haley Stevens, Shamir contends that El-Sayed will have little to no influence on shaping Democratic Party policy toward Israel if elected. He compares El-Sayed's expected impact to other prominent critics of Israel within the party, such as Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who despite their vocal opposition, hold minimal sway over party leadership on Israel-related issues.

Shamir emphasizes that the real issue threatening Israel is the significant erosion of support within the Democratic Party's leadership, historically known as staunch supporters of Israel. This decline was starkly illustrated by a recent congressional vote on an amendment to restrict aid to Israel, which, although ultimately defeated, garnered the support of 103 Democratic members. Public opinion polls also reveal that waning support for Israel extends beyond Democrats to a notable portion of Republicans.

According to Shamir, this shift in American political attitudes stems largely from the policies of Israel's current right-wing government, which alienates many US lawmakers and voters. He cautions against labeling the criticism as antisemitism, suggesting it is more accurately described as anti-Israel sentiment. Shamir concludes that public diplomacy efforts will not reverse this trend; instead, Israel's standing in the US will improve only with a change in government that better represents Israel's positive image.