El Sayed tries to build bridge with Jewish community
Democratic Senate candidate Abdul el Sayed is working to repair ties with Michigan’s Jewish community after facing criticism for comments made following a terrorist attack on a synagogue.He apologized publicly,clarifying that his remarks were not intended to justify teh attack and asking for forgiveness. The attack occurred at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, where the attacker rammed a vehicle into the synagogue and opened fire, resulting in no injuries to children inside. Critics accused el Sayed of excusing the violence due to the attacker’s family being killed in an Israeli airstrike. In response, he has emphasized his opposition to antisemitism and his commitment to Jewish safety, seeking to distance himself from controversial Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, whom he had associated with publicly.Despite efforts to clarify his stance, el Sayed faces continued scrutiny from both Democrats and Republicans, with opponents highlighting his past remarks and associations. Michigan Democratic officials have expressed concern about the increasing hostility in political discourse, with some fearing they may face harassment or exclusion if they participate actively. el Sayed is striving to address the controversy and reaffirm his dedication to community safety and unity amidst a polarized political environment.
Democratic Senate nominee Abdul el Sayed is seeking to repair his relationship with Michigan’s Jewish community after facing months of criticism over comments he made following a terrorist attack on a Jewish synagogue.
At an event hosted by the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus, el Sayed apologized for remarks he made after the March attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield.
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“Context at the right time seems to also offer an asterisk on a moment of pain and a moment of trauma and a moment of frustration, a moment of sadness, a moment of anger that is more than justified,” el Sayed said. “And that wasn’t my intention. So I’m asking for forgiveness and a moment of grace. I made a mistake.”
He continued, “For folks who felt like my comments were justifying of an act of domestic terrorism, I did not intend it that way. I hope that you’ll forgive me. And I’m sorry.”
The outreach comes as el Sayed, who narrowly won the Democratic nomination with backing from the party’s progressive and socialist wing, faces continued scrutiny over his views on Israel and his association with controversial Twitch streamer Hasan Piker.
In the March 12 attack on Temple Israel, one of Michigan’s largest synagogues, a man rammed a vehicle into the building and opened fire. More than 100 young children were inside for preschool. Authorities said the attacker, Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, drove through the synagogue with explosives and a rifle before he was killed in a gunfight with law enforcement. No children were injured.
Following the attack, el Sayed condemned the violence but also said that “hurt people hurt people,” referencing reports that Ghazali’s family had been killed in an Israeli airstrike days earlier. Critics accused el Sayed of using the circumstances surrounding the attack to justify the gunman’s actions.
El Sayed has since sought to make his opposition to antisemitism and commitment to Jewish safety more explicit.
“I stand in solidarity with my Jewish sisters and brothers, and we can condemn antisemitism,” he said after winning the nomination. “My commitment to Jewish safety is the same as my commitment to the safety of my own kids. We have a responsibility to take on antisemitism in all of its forms, wherever we see it.”
He has also sought to distance himself from Piker. “Antisemitism is a scourge, and we need to address it in all its forms. And I stand against any rhetoric that puts the community at risk,” el Sayed wrote in a social media post.
“While politicians and pundits try to make this race about a Twitch streamer, we’re going to be talking about gas, groceries, good schools, and healthcare,” he added.
But his efforts have done little to halt criticism from fellow Democrats and Republicans who argue that el Sayed has not gone far enough in distancing himself from Piker.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), who would serve alongside el Sayed if he wins in November, said it “shouldn’t be hard” to condemn Piker forcefully.
Former Rep. Mike Rogers, the Republican nominee for Senate in Michigan, has also made el Sayed’s relationship with Piker and his comments about the Temple Israel attack central to his campaign against the Democrat.
“Abdul has had six months to apologize for his incredibly horrific remarks regarding the Temple Israel attack,” Rogers said in a social media post Saturday. “Instead, he chose to surround himself with terrorist sympathizers and some of the most notable antisemites in the country. It’s too little, too late.”
The criticism has extended to Michigan Democrats themselves. Former Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lon Johnson said el Sayed’s statements about Piker have been insufficient.
Meanwhile, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, who is Jewish, has warned that political discourse within the state’s Democratic Party has become increasingly hostile.
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“I feel like my presence isn’t going to be welcome. I don’t want to get chased around. I don’t want to get harassed. I don’t want to get yelled and screamed at. I don’t want to get booed off the stage, irrespective of what I’m saying,” Nessel said. “And I believe that if I go, that is what will happen because it’s been happening to me.”
“I will speak as a member of the Democratic Party here in Michigan, that some things have changed,” Nessel added. “This cannot continue, and the fact of the matter is, we have to be able to be a society where we can have intelligent discourse and debate about ideas without people being threatened, and certainly without people carrying out those threats.”
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