Egyptian-American doctor Abdul El-Sayed, who won the Democratic Senate primary in Michigan, drew widespread attention in Israeli media. His victory over a rival backed by millions of dollars from the pro-Israel lobby was interpreted in the Hebrew press as a blow to Israel and a sign of the progressive wing's rise within the party.
Channel 14, known for its closeness to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, described El-Sayed's victory as 'a significant achievement for the hardline progressive wing.' The channel emphasized that a central theme of El-Sayed's campaign was the call to end US military aid to Israel.
According to Channel 14, El-Sayed defeated Congresswoman Hailey Stevens, who was backed by the Democratic Party establishment and pro-Israel organizations. The race was seen as a test of the conflict between the party's moderate and progressive wings, especially over Israel.
The Yisrael Hayom newspaper described El-Sayed's victory as 'a major win' for the progressive wing and 'a resounding blow' to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). The paper wrote that AIPAC's political arm, the United Democracy Project, spent over $30 million to support rival Hailey Stevens and defeat El-Sayed.
Yisrael Hayom noted that if El-Sayed wins the November election, he would become the first Muslim to represent a state in the US Senate. The paper reported that the candidate has called for an end to military aid to Israel, accused Israel of 'genocide' and 'apartheid,' and described Prime Minister Netanyahu as a 'war criminal.'
Haaretz newspaper described the race as 'the most expensive primary in US history.' According to the paper, total spending in support of Stevens reached $60 million, with more than $30 million coming from AIPAC.
Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper described Abdul El-Sayed as the 'Muslim Obama.' The paper wrote that despite its local nature, the race was seen as an indicator testing the direction of the Democratic Party in upcoming elections, especially the midterm congressional elections.
The Israel Broadcasting Corporation stated that the results show the competition between the moderate and progressive wings of the Democratic Party over Israel is heating up. The corporation assessed that if El-Sayed is elected in November, he could influence the Senate's stance on issues related to Tel Aviv.
Abdul El-Sayed, 41, was born in Rochester Hills, Michigan, to Egyptian immigrant parents. After graduating from the University of Michigan, he studied medicine at Columbia University and earned a doctorate from Oxford University. El-Sayed ran in the Democratic primary for Michigan governor in 2018 but lost to Gretchen Whitmer. He later emerged as a leading figure in the party's progressive wing.
Israel has continued its attacks on the Gaza Strip with US support since October 7, 2023. According to Palestinian data, more than 73,000 people, mostly children and women, have been killed, over 174,000 injured, and about 90 percent of the infrastructure destroyed.
