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El-Sayed apologizes for comments about an attack on a Michigan synagogue
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- Abdul El-Sayed, Michigan’s Democratic Senate nominee, apologized to the state’s Jewish Democratic Caucus for comments he made linking a synagogue attack to Israel’s actions, saying his words were misconstrued and not meant to justify the violence.
- El-Sayed’s apology follows a bitter primary win and aims to heal divisions within the Democratic Party amid allegations of antisemitism tied to his past remarks and associations.
- The controversy stems from a March attack on a Detroit synagogue by Ayman Mohammad Ghazali, who targeted the building after losing relatives in an Israeli airstrike, prompting El-Sayed to provide context that was widely criticized.
- El-Sayed acknowledged that offering context at the time was inappropriate and expressed regret for causing hurt, emphasizing that he did not intend to excuse the attack.
- He faces Republican Mike Rogers in a key Senate race that could influence control of the chamber.
