Vocal Israel critic Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) has officially thrown her backing behind progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan's primary to replace retiring Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI).
The endorsement underscores a growing ideological divide within the Democratic Party over US foreign policy toward the Jewish state, pitting anti-Israel progressives against pro-Israel mainstream Democrats.
In endorsing El-Sayed, Omar praised his progressive agenda, pointing to his opposition to corporate interests, support for universal healthcare, and focus on affordability.
“Abdul leads with his values and tapped directly into the needs of Michiganders like no other candidate," Omar said in a statement quoted by the Washington Examiner. “He is ready to win this seat and take back the Senate. He is the best choice to beat Republicans this November, and I look forward to working with him in Congress."
El-Sayed embraced the endorsement from the Minnesota congresswoman, commending her defiant stance against federal immigration enforcement operations during the winter in Minneapolis.
The primary, scheduled for August 4, features a dead heat between El-Sayed and pro-Israel Representative Haley Stevens (D-MI) following state Sen. Mallory McMorrow’s decision to drop out.
On Monday, Sen. Gary Peters abandoned his previous neutrality to back Stevens, joining a bloc of establishment Democrats including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ).
By contrast, El-Sayed’s candidacy has rallied prominent figures known for their harsh stances on Israel, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).
The rift over Israel has taken center stage in the primary fight. During a recent televised debate, El-Sayed targeted Stevens over her financial backing from pro-Israel advocacy organizations and corporate groups. Stevens pushed back, accusing El-Sayed of benefiting from political ad spending bankrolled by the Republican Party.
El-Sayed has publicly labelled Israel's military actions in Gaza a "genocide" and calling the Israeli government "as evil as Hamas."
Furthermore, El-Sayed has repeatedly rebuffed questions regarding Israel's fundamental right to exist as a Jewish state and has advocated for a complete halt to all US military assistance, both offensive and defensive, to Israel.
Omar, a member of the so-called “Squad" of anti-Israel Democrats, criticized Israel back in 2019, when she came under fire after she suggested on Twitter that Republicans were attacking her at the behest of the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC.
She subsequently issued a half-hearted apology before ultimately deleting the controversial tweets.
In October of 2023, she caused an uproar and was criticized after she retweeted a photo of dead children and claimed that they died as a result of the IAF's bombing of Gaza. The photo was revealed to be a photo of children who died as a result of the Syrian army's nerve gas bombing.
She later was quick to blame Israel for an explosion at a hospital in Gaza which was ultimately proven to have been caused by an Islamic Jihad rocket.