Haley Stevens takes aim at Netanyahu in Michigan Senate debate, as opponent Abdul El-Sayed calls Israel a ‘rogue state’
Viewers of Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary debate on Tuesday night could be forgiven for at times forgetting that one candidate comes with the heavy backing of pro-Israel donors. “The prime minister of Israel has failed,”…
Assessment
A Democratic Senate primary in Michigan has become a flashpoint for intra-party divisions over Israel, with both candidates breaking sharply from traditional pro-Israel orthodoxy. Stevens, who typically enjoys strong donor support from pro-Israel groups, directly blamed Netanyahu for failing to achieve peace and called him a danger to Jews. Her opponent El-Sayed went further, labeling Israel a rogue state. The debate signals that the party's leftward shift on Israel is now a central fault line in competitive primaries, not just a fringe position.