From Newsweek · · 1m 10s
El-Sayed disavows antisemitic ad but message lingers
Abdul El-Sayed denies ad ties but his past rhetoric makes antisemitic message seem plausible.
In brief
Abdul El-Sayed denies ad ties but his past rhetoric makes antisemitic message seem plausible. El-Sayed's campaign disavowed an antisemitic ad but his previous comments on Israel and Jewish violence risk making such claims seem normal. Originally reported by Newsweek.
El-Sayed campaign disavows ad
El-Sayed's campaign denied affiliation with an antisemitic ad circulated by Cenk Uygur's Rebellion PAC.
Ad's antisemitic message
The ad suggests Jews or Israel cause economic misfortunes for Americans, echoing historical antisemitic accusations.
El-Sayed's past rhetoric
El-Sayed accused Israel of genocide in Gaza and ended U.S. military aid to the country, drawing moral comparisons to Hamas.
Temple Israel incident
After Temple Israel was attacked, El-Sayed condemned violence but later referenced the attacker's family losses in Lebanon.
El-Sayed's apology
El-Sayed apologized to Michigan Jewish Democrats for not condemning antisemitic violence clearly enough.
Ad's message remains plausible
El-Sayed's past comments make the ad's antisemitic message seem compatible with his political positions.
Public question remains
The public asks whether El-Sayed's rhetoric helped create a climate where antisemitic ads could be made without seeming out of place.
The essence
El-Sayed's campaign disavowed an antisemitic ad but his previous comments on Israel and Jewish violence risk making such claims seem normal.
