Michigan Senate Candidate El-Sayed Admits ‘Mistake’ on Temple Attack

A Michigan Democrat running for the U.S. Senate has issued an apology after facing intense backlash over comments he made following an attack on a Jewish synagogue earlier this year that many perceived as excusing the violence.

Abdul El-Sayed, a Muslim leftist candidate seeking Michigan’s Senate seat, told attendees at the state Democrat Party’s Jewish caucus gathering during the party convention on Saturday that he regretted his initial response to the March attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, according to Breitbart News.

El-Sayed had previously stated that “hurt people hurt people” when addressing the synagogue assault, a remark that sparked outrage among Jewish voters who interpreted it as justifying the attack. On Saturday, he acknowledged the misstep, saying: If my statement caused pain, I’m sorry. He added that his campaign should have simply condemned the attack and stopped there.

The March incident involved Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a Lebanese national who drove his vehicle into the Temple Israel building before being confronted by security personnel and killed. Ghazali had entered the United States in 2011 on an IR1 immigrant visa as the spouse of an American citizen and was naturalized in 2016 during the Obama administration, as Breitbart News reported at the time.

Fortunately, no children or staff members at the synagogue’s school were harmed during the attack.

Following his initial condemnation, El-Sayed issued a second statement that referenced Israel’s military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, noting that the attacker had lost family members in an Israeli airstrike. This follow-up statement deepened concerns among Jewish voters in Michigan that the candidate was attempting to contextualize or justify the synagogue attack.

Distancing from Anti-Israel Allies

In recent days, El-Sayed has noticeably softened his criticism of Israel during campaign appearances and released a statement distancing himself from Hasan Piker, a far-left anti-Israel streamer who had been a campaign ally. Piker has faced accusations of antisemitism from multiple quarters.

The controversy has prompted some Jewish leaders to urge Jewish Democrats and independents to support El-Sayed’s opponent, former Representative Mike Rogers, the Republican candidate in the race, Breitbart News reports.

Fellow Democrats Express Concern

Representative Josh Gottheimer, a New Jersey Democrat, made his position clear in a recent interview, stating he would not endorse El-Sayed unless the Michigan candidate clarified his views toward Jewish Americans. Gottheimer emphasized that El-Sayed has refused to back away from positions that many find troubling.

Gottheimer also called on El-Sayed to unambiguously condemn Hasan Piker and his rhetoric, expressing frustration at what he sees as a double standard. He questioned why people remain silent in the face of antisemitic and anti-Jewish language when they would speak out forcefully if such hateful rhetoric targeted any other group in America.

The controversy continues to complicate El-Sayed’s Senate bid as he attempts to rebuild trust with Jewish voters while maintaining support from his progressive base.

With information from Breitbart News