El-Sayed's victory exposes a growing divide between Israelis and American Jews - opinion

Abdul El-Sayed's victory in Michigan's US Senate race raises questions about the growing ideological divide between Israelis and American Jews. The article argues that progressive Jewish Americans increasingly support candidates critical of Israel, reflecting a cultural shift where Jewish identity is framed through progressive values rather than traditional solidarity with the Jewish state.

Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive Democrat who has opposed American military assistance to Israel and campaigned alongside commentator Hasan Piker, won Michigan's US Senate race in November 2026. The article argues that this victory should raise uncomfortable questions for Israelis about the growing divide between Israelis and American Jews. It notes that some Jewish Americans support politicians whose positions are sharply at odds with Israel's interests, sometimes invoking their Jewish identity to justify that support. The piece contrasts Israeli Jewish identity, centered on sovereignty and security, with progressive American Jewish identity, which prioritizes healthcare, climate change, minority rights, and opposition to President Donald Trump. It suggests that for many progressive American Jews, Israel is judged through an ideological lens and support becomes conditional. The author, Dr. Irwin J. Mansdorf, a researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, argues that the divide is increasingly ideological rather than simply political, and that replacing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not necessarily resolve the underlying disagreement.