El-Sayed Apologizes for March Comment About Michigan Synagogue Attack
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic Senate nominee in Michigan, faced criticism from Jewish Democrats after remarking, “hurt people hurt people.”
Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has apologized for remarks he made following a March synagogue attack in Michigan, which he linked to Israel's actions in the Middle East. At a party convention in Lansing, El-Sayed acknowledged that his comments may have been misinterpreted and expressed regret for any hurt they may have caused. He stated, "To anyone who feels like my comments might have been hurtful, I’m really sorry. That was not my intention."
El-Sayed's apology comes as he seeks to unify Democrats after a contentious primary race where he defeated US House member Haley Stevens. He is now focused on bridging a series of controversies, including allegations of antisemitism stemming from his association with commentator Hasan Piker. In March, a man attacked Temple Israel synagogue in a Detroit suburb, killing a security guard before taking his own life.
The perpetrator, Ayman Mohammad Ghazali, had recently lost four family members in an Israeli airstrike on Lebanon. El-Sayed condemned the attack and referenced the tragedy that led Ghazali to act, saying, "hurt people hurt people." However, he later recognized that his remarks at the time did not account for the depth of pain experienced.
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