GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed faced a barrage of sharp challenges over Israel, Iran and terrorism during a fiery debate Thursday, as Republican Mike Rogers pressed the Democrat on his refusal to support military aid to Israel and his response to the Hamas massacre of Oct. 7, 2023.

The hourlong debate quickly devolved into a bitter exchange, with the candidates repeatedly interrupting one another and continuing to argue during a commercial break. The confrontation exposed deep divisions over foreign policy, national security and the future of U.S. support for Israel.

El-Sayed, a progressive former public health official who won the Democratic primary, accused Rogers of being a “sock puppet” for President Donald Trump. Rogers fired back, accusing El-Sayed of lying about his record and calling him a “conman.”

But the most contentious exchanges centered on El-Sayed’s positions on Israel and the Middle East, putting his foreign policy views and political alliances under renewed scrutiny.

Refuses to support weapons for Israel

Asked whether he would support sending weapons to Israel if the Jewish state were attacked by another country, El-Sayed said he did not want American tax dollars used to “subsidize war abroad.”

His response offered no clear exception for Israel defending itself against an attack.

El-Sayed has argued that U.S. taxpayer money should instead be directed toward domestic priorities, including health care, education and infrastructure. His opposition to military assistance to Israel has raised concerns among some Jewish voters and community leaders in Michigan, where Israel’s security and rising antisemitism have become significant campaign issues.

Calls Israel and Iran dangerous

The confrontation intensified when El-Sayed was asked whether Israel or Iran posed a greater threat to the United States.

He called it a “ridiculous question,” saying both countries had “proven dangerous in their own way.”

The response drew renewed attention to El-Sayed’s approach to the escalating conflict in the Middle East and his opposition to deeper American military involvement.

Rogers challenged El-Sayed over his approach to terrorism and his failure to issue a statement marking the anniversary of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, which killed about 1,200 people in Israel and saw hundreds more taken hostage.

The exchange put the candidates on starkly different sides of a central national security question: how the United States should respond to threats against Israel and what role Washington should play in confronting Iran.

Temple Israel attack remains a point of contention

Rogers’ criticism comes amid lingering controversy over El-Sayed’s response to the March attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, where a truck driven by an assailant struck the synagogue while more than 100 children were inside.

El-Sayed condemned the attack but subsequently drew criticism after discussing Israeli airstrikes that had killed members of the attacker’s family in Lebanon.

Some Jewish community members said the discussion risked shifting attention away from the attack on the synagogue. El-Sayed later expressed regret over his earlier remarks, saying he wished he could take them back and stressing that there was no justification for terrorism.

The episode has deepened divisions among Michigan’s Jewish Democrats. Some have demanded stronger commitments to Jewish safety and Israel, while others have defended El-Sayed and argued that his positions reflect a broader commitment to human rights.

Hasan Piker controversy adds to pressure

El-Sayed also faced questions about his association with Hasan Piker, a left-wing online commentator whose remarks about Israel and other political issues have drawn widespread criticism.

After the debate, El-Sayed was asked why he had attacked Rogers over his association with Trump while dismissing questions about his own relationship with Piker.

“To equate the most powerful person in the world with a streamer in California seems to me to just be — I’m not going to use the word — but silly,” El-Sayed responded.

The exchange added another layer to the dispute over El-Sayed’s political alliances and whether he can unite Democrats who disagree sharply over Israel.

Democrats struggle to unite

The debate comes as Democrats attempt to unite after El-Sayed’s primary victory over Rep. Haley Stevens. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer appeared with El-Sayed for the first time since endorsing Stevens in the primary, part of a broader effort by prominent Democrats to bring the party together ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

The race is being closely watched nationally as Republicans and Democrats compete for control of the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters.

For El-Sayed, the debate underscored the challenge of appealing to progressive voters who oppose U.S. military assistance to Israel while addressing concerns from Jewish voters over his positions on Israel, terrorism and antisemitism.

For Rogers, the exchanges offered an opportunity to make those issues central to the general election campaign.

The candidates’ sharply contrasting views on Israel, Iran and American military involvement abroad are likely to remain major points of contention as the race continues.