El-Sayed Apologizes for Lamenting Death of Terrorist’s Family
Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed apologized to Jewish voters for appearing to justify a synagogue attack by citing the perpetrator's relatives killed in Lebanon.
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed expressed regret at a Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus gathering on Saturday for his response to the March incident at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, according to Ryan King writing in New York Post. The apology comes months after the attack and as El-Sayed attempts to consolidate Democratic support in his Senate race against Republican Mike Rogers.
In March, Ayman Mohamed Ghazali, a Lebanese-born individual, drove a truck loaded with fireworks and gasoline into the daycare facility at Temple Israel, where approximately 100 children were attending preschool. Following a gunfight with security personnel, Ghazali took his own life. One security officer sustained injuries in the incident, though no congregants were harmed.
Controversial Initial Response
El-Sayed’s initial video statement condemned the attack as heinous and expressed solidarity with the Jewish community. However, he went on to invoke a phrase from his epidemiology studies: hurt people hurt people. He then noted that Ghazali had lost family members, including two children, in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon the previous week, describing them as innocent people.
The reference to Israeli military operations in Lebanon—conducted in response to Hezbollah aggression following strikes on Iran—ignited fierce criticism from Jewish Americans who viewed the remarks as contextualising or excusing terrorism.
Apology After Months of Backlash
At Saturday’s event, El-Sayed acknowledged his error. He told attendees he should have simply condemned the attack without additional commentary. Speaking to reporters afterward, he claimed his comments had been misconstrued and offered an apology to anyone who found them hurtful, insisting that justifying the attack was never his intention.
The apology comes as El-Sayed works to repair relationships within his party following a divisive primary contest against Representative Haley Stevens.
Leaked Audio and Iran Controversy
Around the time of the synagogue attack, audio recordings surfaced revealing El-Sayed’s internal deliberations over how to respond to the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The leaked conversations showed concern about alienating Muslim voters, further complicating his standing with Jewish constituents.
El-Sayed, a Sunni Muslim of Egyptian heritage, appeared hesitant to publicly address the passing of the Shiite cleric who led one of the world’s most notorious anti-Israel regimes.
Refusal to Disavow Extremist Streamer
Despite the apology tour, El-Sayed continues to refuse denouncing far-left online personality Hasan Piker, with whom he campaigned on the final day of his primary race. When pressed by reporters on Saturday about his association with Piker, El-Sayed dismissed the question, stating he had no interest in discussing a social media figure from California.
Piker has a lengthy record of inflammatory statements, including his 2019 claim that America deserved the September 11 attacks—a remark he only reluctantly described as inappropriate after significant backlash. He has been photographed with a framed newspaper front page showing the Twin Towers during the 2001 terrorist attack.
The wealthy self-described socialist has also defended Hezbollah, praised the Taliban fighters who injured former Representative Dan Crenshaw, and argued that Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacre was a direct consequence of Israeli policies. Piker added that even if Hamas engaged in sexual violence during the attack, it would not alter his perspective.
El-Sayed has previously acknowledged disagreements with Piker on certain issues but continues to avoid distancing himself from the controversial figure as he seeks to unify Democratic voters ahead of the general election.
With information from New York Post
