{"id":2092946,"date":"2023-11-07T14:37:01","date_gmt":"2023-11-07T19:37:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michigans-top-dems-say-they-support-israel-theyve-courted-a-hamas-loving-anti-israel-activist-for-years\/"},"modified":"2023-11-07T14:39:03","modified_gmt":"2023-11-07T19:39:03","slug":"michigans-top-dems-say-they-support-israel-theyve-courted-a-hamas-loving-anti-israel-activist-for-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michigans-top-dems-say-they-support-israel-theyve-courted-a-hamas-loving-anti-israel-activist-for-years\/","title":{"rendered":"Michigan&#8217;s leading Democrats claim to back Israel, yet they have long embraced an anti-Israel activist with ties to Hamas."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">38<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmichigans-top-dems-say-they-support-israel-theyve-courted-a-hamas-loving-anti-israel-activist-for-years%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2092946&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Michigan Democrats&#8217; Ties to Anti-Israel Group Raise Concerns<\/h2>\n<div>\n<figure><figcaption>(Bill Pugliano\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer and attorney general Dana Nessel have claimed to support Israel in the wake of\u200c last month&#8217;s Hamas attack. But the Democrats have spent years courting an Arab-American\u2064 political group whose leader has called for\u200d violence against \u2064Israel and praised Islamic militants.<\/p>\n<p>Whitmer praised the Arab American Political Action Committee during a speech at the group&#8217;s\u2063 annual banquet in November 2022. And Nessel credited the organization at its\u2062 2019 gala for helping her win her election a year\u200b earlier. They touted the organization even\u200c though its leader, Osama Siblani, has a long\u200c history\u200b of anti-Israel and\u200d pro-terrorist remarks.<\/p>\n<p>Siblani, the publisher of the <em>Arab \u200bAmerican News<\/em>, drew national attention in May 2022\u2064 when\u200d he\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/democrats\/meet-rashida-tlaibs-favorite-anti-israel-publisher\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">urged<\/a> Arabs to\u200b &#8220;fight within \u200c [their] means&#8221; against\u2063 Israel, \u200dwhether it be with &#8220;stones,&#8221; &#8220;guns,&#8221;\u2063 or &#8220;their hands.&#8221;\u200b He has called Hamas and\u2063 Hezbollah &#8220;freedom fighters&#8221; and in 2019 cheered that Hezbollah &#8220;delivered on its \u2062threat&#8221; to bomb Israel.<\/p>\n<p>The Democrats&#8217; coziness with Siblani and the Arab American Political Action\u2064 Committee could prove a political liability, especially for Whitmer, whom many Democrats believe to be a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cnns-stelter-we-will-discuss-zuckers-resignation-janice-dean-try-discussing-zucker-covering-up-nursing-home-deaths-andrew-cuomos-role\/\" title=\"CNN\u2019s Stelter: We Will Discuss Zucker\u2019s Resignation. Janice Dean: Try Discussing Zucker Covering Up Nursing Home Deaths, Andrew Cuomo\u2019s Role.\">future presidential contender<\/a>. Whitmer and Nessel have tried to walk a political tightrope in the wake of Hamas&#8217;s terrorist\u2063 attack\u2062 on Israel. Whitmer faced \u2063 <a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/democrats\/fraudulent-whitmer-faces-call-to-resign-after-omitting-israel-from-statement-on-hamas-terrorism\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">calls\u2062 to resign<\/a> after failing to mention Israel by name \u2062in her official\u2062 response to Hamas\u2019s \u200binvasion but later said she fully supports Israel. Nessel <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/dananessel\/status\/1720933272589361552\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">called on<\/a> \u200bRep. Rashida Tlaib (D., Mich.) to retract her \u200dstatement that &#8220;from the river to the\u200b sea, Palestine will be free,&#8221; a slogan \u2064widely seen as a call for the \u200cdestruction\u2063 of\u2062 the Jewish state.<\/p>\n<p>Whitmer and Nessel have relied heavily on Siblani\u2063 and the Arab American Political Action Committee to mobilize voters in Michigan, home to one of the largest Arab and\u200b Muslim populations in the country. Nessel has credited Siblani and\u2063 the Arab American Political Action Committee for helping her win office\u2064 in 2018. &#8220;Were it not for the support of AAPAC and\u2063 of this community in particular, I would not be attorney general of the state\u200b of Michigan,&#8221; she said at \u2063 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=9peOBqpd1J0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the group&#8217;s banquet<\/a> in November 2019.<\/p>\n<p>Whitmer has sought to remain in the committee&#8217;s good\u2063 graces. She <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/osama.siblani\/posts\/10225346985514792\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">met with<\/a> Siblani at the <em>Arab American News<\/em> offices in April 2022 after Arab-American\u2064 activists criticized her for visiting Israel. Siblani claimed Whitmer accepted his invitation to visit Lebanon to make amends for her Israel trip.<\/p>\n<p>Whitmer and \u2063Nessel have rubbed shoulders with other terrorist sympathizers at Arab American Political Action Committee events.<\/p>\n<p>Whitmer was photographed at last year&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/arabamericannews.com\/2022\/10\/28\/aapac-celebrates-25-years-of-political-achievements-brings-state-leaders-to-the-community\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">banquet<\/a> with Siblani and \u200bImam Mohammad Ali Elahi,\u2062 the head of the Islamic House of Wisdom. Elahi <a href=\"https:\/\/islamism.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Letter-to-Attorney-General-and-Director-of-National-Intelligence-on-Iranian-Influence-in-U.S.-Mosques-7.28.23.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">allegedly<\/a> \u200d maintains ties to the Iranian government, has pushed pro-Tehran views, and publicly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.deadlinedetroit.com\/articles\/24092\/from_dearborn_to_the_white_house_iranian_imam_pens_letter_to_trump\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mourned<\/a> the assassination of Iranian general Qassem \u200cSoleimani.<\/p>\n<p>Nessel&#8217;s speech \u200dat the 2019 banquet was followed by remarks from Amer Zahr, a former Bernie Sanders surrogate who\u200b has praised terrorist groups on numerous \u2064occasions.<\/p>\n<p>Zahr urged the audience to &#8220;stand up against the \u2062racist \u200bIsraeli state&#8221; and railed against a federal bill that\u2064 &#8220;outrageously funds Israel&#8217;s\u2064 military and denounces the [Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions] movement.&#8221; Zahr, \u2062who\u2063 praised Nessel during his remarks, has repeatedly defended Islamic terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah. At a rally in 2017 \u2062organized by Siblani, Zahr <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/amer.zahr\/videos\/10109485183153743\/?t=198\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">stated<\/a> that &#8220;whether it&#8217;s called Hamas, whether it&#8217;s called Hezbollah, we stand with everybody who stands against the Israeli\u200c occupation.&#8221; In 2021, he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/watch\/?v=1435636410133921\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">urged<\/a> \u2064 activists who are\u2062 &#8220;condemning anti-Semitism and condemning terrorism&#8221; to \u200d&#8221;stop \u200bit!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Whitmer \u200dand Nessel\u2064 did\u2062 not\u200d respond to requests for \u200bcomment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> \u200dWhat \u200dpotential consequences could arise \u2064from\u2064 Governor\u200c Whitmer and Attorney General Nessel&#8217;s relationships with the Arab American Political Action Committee and\u200d individuals who have expressed\u200d support for \u200bviolence against Israel?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  \u200c Litical \u200bAction Committee events. In \u200dMarch 2021, they attended \u2063a gala \u2064where the\u200b keynote speaker was Linda Sarsour, a controversial \u2063figure known\u200d for her anti-Israel\u2063 views. Sarsour has been \u200da vocal supporter of \u2062the \u200cBoycott, Divestment, \u200cand Sanctions \u2064(BDS) movement, which seeks to isolate Israel economically and politically. She has also expressed \u200csupport for convicted terrorists and made \u2063inflammatory remarks about Zionism.<\/p>\n<p>The \u2062Democrats&#8217;\u200c close association with individuals \u2064and organizations that have expressed support for violence\u200b against Israel raises concerns about their\u2062 true stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While Whitmer\u2062 and Nessel may have \u200dpublicly condemned Hamas&#8217;s attack \u2062on Israel, their relationships with Siblani and others suggest \u2062a different story.<\/p>\n<p>It is especially troubling \u200bthat these ties exist in the state of Michigan, which has a significant Arab and Muslim population. Political figures should prioritize representing\u200c and advocating for all their constituents, regardless of their backgrounds. By aligning themselves with\u2064 individuals who espouse anti-Israel sentiments, Whitmer and Nessel \u200drisk\u200d alienating the\u200b pro-Israel community\u200d in Michigan \u200dand beyond.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the Democrats&#8217; association with Siblani and the Arab American Political Action Committee\u200b has broader implications for the party. As Whitmer is often mentioned as\u2063 a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rep-matt-gaetz-suggests-potential-desantis-2024-presidential-run\/\" title=\"Rep. Matt Gaetz Suggests Potential DeSantis 2024 Presidential Run\">potential presidential candidate<\/a>, \u2063her ties\u200b to individuals with questionable views on Israel could damage the party&#8217;s reputation on the national\u200d stage. \u200cThe Democratic Party has traditionally positioned itself \u2062as a \u200cfriend of Israel, and any association with anti-Israel elements can be seen as a betrayal of that principle.<\/p>\n<p>It\u200c is important\u2064 for politicians to be transparent and consistent in their positions on\u200c international \u200dconflicts. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is complex and\u200d emotionally charged, and any ambiguity\u200d or mixed \u200dmessaging\u200d can have serious \u2063consequences. Whitmer\u200d and \u2064Nessel should \u200cclarify their stance \u2063on Israel \u200cand distance themselves from individuals and groups that \u2062advocate violence or\u2063 support the destruction\u2063 of\u200c the Jewish state.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, the ties between Michigan Democrats, \u200cincluding Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel, and the \u2063Arab American Political Action Committee raise \u200dconcerns about their true support for Israel. Their association with individuals who \u200dhave made anti-Israel\u200c and \u200c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michigans-top-dems-say-they-support-israel-theyve-courted-a-hamas-loving-anti-israel-activist-for-years\/\" title=\"Michigan's leading Democrats claim to back Israel, yet they have long embraced an anti-Israel activist with ties to Hamas.\">pro-terrorist \u200dremarks raises questions<\/a> about their stance on the\u200c Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Furthermore,\u2062 these \u2063ties could have political \u200dimplications for Whitmer&#8217;s\u2063 potential presidential ambitions and the reputation \u2062of\u2063 the Democratic Party. It is crucial for politicians to be transparent and consistent in their \u2063positions\u2062 on important international \u200bissues, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, to maintain \u200btrust and credibility with \u200ctheir constituents.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer and attorney general Dana Nessel have expressed their support for Israel following the recent Hamas attack. However, their affiliation with an Arab-American political group, whose leader has endorsed violence against Israel and praised Islamic militants, raises concerns about their stance. Whitmer&#8217;s praise for the Arab American Political Action group is contradictory to her claimed support for Israel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":155,"featured_media":2092947,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[544],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2092946","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-free-beacon"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2092946","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/155"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2092946"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2092946\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2092947"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2092946"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2092946"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2092946"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}