Jewish leaders urge Kamala Harris to press Senate candidate El-Sayed on Israel views

A coalition of progressive Jewish leaders and Michigan Democrats, known as Nonnegotiable Michigan, urged Vice President Kamala Harris to address Senate candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed's views on Jewish safety and Israel during their joint campaign appearance. The group, representing rabbis, cantors, and community leaders, expressed deep concern over El-Sayed's past remarks, including calling Israelis "bloodthirsty" and rejecting Israel as a Jewish state. They outlined five core principles for candidates to ensure Jewish safety, including for Zionists, and emphasized that "every constituency must occasionally remind its party that support is earned, not owed."

• Rabbi Michael Moskowitz of Temple Shir Shalom stated, "we have been greatly concerned in the midst of this campaign and the language that we hear being used," noting the use of "antisemitic dog whistles."
• Cantor Regina Hayut of Temple Beth Emeth expressed feeling "politically homeless" as a lifelong Democrat due to the rhetoric.
• David Kramer, a Democratic fundraiser, asserted, "You can't untangle Judaism from Zionism."

During their joint appearance, Harris and El-Sayed focused solely on maternal health, reproductive freedom, and black maternal mortality, without addressing the letter or the controversies surrounding El-Sayed's statements on Israel.