Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed faced pointed questions about his views on Israel on CBS’s 60 Minutes on Monday, amid growing controversy over his stance and a closely watched race against Republican Mike Rogers.
During the interview with journalist Ross Douthat, El-Sayed addressed his criticism of US policy toward Israel. He argued that Washington has spent years declaring its support for a two-state solution while simultaneously providing military assistance to parties he claims are working to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state.
He accused Israel of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, an allegation Israel rejects and which his Republican opponent, Rogers, disputes.
The exchange on 60 Minutes drew particular attention ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections because of El-Sayed’s previous statements about Israel and his ongoing confrontation with Rogers.
Rogers has said that he supports Israel’s right to defend itself and exist as a Jewish state and accused El-Sayed of refusing to recognize Israel’s right to exist. Douthat opted to ask El-Sayed directly, “Does Israel have a right to exist?”
In response, the interviewee objected to repeatedly being questioned about Israel’s right to exist when no one asks him about Palestine’s right to exist.
“Does Palestine have a right to exist?” Douthat asked.
“Yes,” El-Sayed replied.
“And does Israel have a right to exist?” the interviewer continued.
“Yes, if there is a shared understanding...” El-Sayed began to answer, but Douthat interrupted, seeking clarification about the qualification.
“Just let me explain,” El-Sayed said. “I believe that this is the problem with this debate. We start from where we sit rather than start from principles. I believe in equal rights to peace, dignity, and self-determination for Palestinians and Jewish Israelis alike.”
El-Sayed addresses Israel's right to exist
He went on to clarify his position: “If the Palestinian people decide and the Israeli people decide that they want two states for two people, and they decide that on equal terms, I’m for it. If they decide that they want one state shared in a different way, I’m for that.”
While El-Sayed appeared to answer affirmatively when asked whether Israel has a right to exist, he tied his response to an agreement between the two peoples. Unlike the traditional American position, he did not present the continued existence of two separate states as the only outcome he would support.
This was not the first time the Senate candidate avoided giving a direct, unconditional answer to the question.
In an earlier CNN interview, when asked whether Israel had a right to exist, El-Sayed said Israel already exists and that he would not participate in what he described as a game of “gotcha” questions.
In this latest interview, he sought to emphasize his commitment to the security of Jews in the United States.
Asked whether he was doing enough to reassure Jewish voters in Michigan, he said that despite disagreements over Israel, he and the Jewish community agreed on many other issues. He also said he would stand alongside American Jews in defending their rights and security.
Democratic divisions deepen as Stevens endorses Rogers
The remarks came amid growing political tensions in Michigan, where El-Sayed and Rogers are competing for the seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters. The contest is considered one of the key races that could determine control of the Senate following Tuesday’s elections.
Earlier on Sunday evening, another dramatic development unfolded in the state’s election campaign when Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens, who lost to El-Sayed in the primary, appeared alongside his opponent, Rogers, at a church in Detroit and announced that she was endorsing the Republican.
Stevens’ move followed a heated dispute over a campaign advertisement produced by an independent political organization supporting El-Sayed, connecting the cost of living in the United States to its assistance to Israel.
Stevens condemned the advertisement as antisemitic. El-Sayed said that his campaign had not been involved in its production and that he disapproved of its content.
Stevens’s decision to endorse the Republican candidate, rather than support her own party’s nominee as previously planned, drew sharp criticism from senior Democrats.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer condemned the move, calling it a disgraceful betrayal.
Despite the political turmoil, El-Sayed maintained a lead over Rogers, in the polls.
According to surveys conducted before Stevens’s dramatic announcement that she would endorse Rogers:
The latest RealClearPolitics polling average cited in the report, the Democratic candidate had 49.3% support compared with 45.4% for Rogers, a lead of approximately four percentage points.
The latest CNN poll showed a seven-point lead for El-Sayed, with 49% support compared with 42% for Rogers.
A YouGov poll conducted between October 26 and 29 also showed El-Sayed ahead, with 51% compared with 47% for Rogers.
The impact of Steven’s decision to support the Republican candidate has yet to be assessed.
The election is scheduled for Tuesday, with the Michigan race considered one of the most important contests in the battle for control of the Senate.
US President Donald Trump, who supports Rogers, also attacked El-Sayed during the campaign, accusing him of having ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.
El-Sayed distanced himself from MB and argued that Republican attacks against him were also directed at his Muslim identity.
Michigan is home to large Arab-American and Jewish communities, and positions on Israel, the Israel-Hamas War, and US military assistance have become central issues in the state’s election campaign.
With voting set for Tuesday, the 60 Minutes interview once again highlighted the political dispute over how the US should approach Israel and whether a Senate candidate can support the right to self-determination of both peoples without explicitly committing to a two-state solution.
Concurrently, the public rift between El-Sayed and Stevens illustrates the depth of division within the Democratic Party over Israel in the run up to one of its most consequential races in the upcoming elections.