El-Sayed distances himself from popular streamer’s comments on Israel and Jewish Americans
WASHINGTON: The Democratic candidate for US Senate in Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed, distanced himself Monday from progressive commentator Hasan Piker, who suggested that some pro-Israel rhetoric may lead to backlash against American Jews.
The controversy could complicate El-Sayed’s campaign as he tries to unify Democrats in a battleground state that will help decide control of the US Senate.
El Sayed is one of several Democratic candidates this year who harnessed Piker’s online megaphone to appeal to younger voters, and they appeared together at campaign events during the primary, but last week’s comments may have cooled the relationship.
Wearing a suit and tie during one of his typically hours-long livestreams, Piker argued against the idea that opposing Israel is antisemitic. American Jews are not uniformly supportive of Israel, he said, but many “Jewish institutions” are “teaching people the idea that Jews are monolithic” and “its a very dangerous mode of propaganda.”
