Rebellion PAC ad backing El-Sayed ties US aid to Israel to living costs; ADL condemns it
A video ad from Rebellion PAC supporting Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed links US aid to Israel with rising household costs. The Anti-Defamation League and others call it antisemitic.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Rebellion PAC, the group associated with Cenk Uygur, released a campaign video in support of Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic US Senate candidate in Michigan. Al JazeeraLC “Released by Cenk Uygur’s Rebellion PAC, the video highlights US foreign aid to Israel as Americans struggle with rising living costs.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ JNSR “The ad, which Rebellion PAC released” Read at JNS ↗ Left · 1Al Jazeera said the ad is generating conversation online and that it highlights US foreign aid to Israel while Americans struggle with rising living costs. Al JazeeraLC “A new political campaign ad in support of Democratic US Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is generating conversation online.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Right · 1JNS describes the ad's content: it says American families can't afford groceries because their tax dollars fund Israel's military and healthcare. JNSR “says that American families can’t afford groceries, because their tax dollars fund Israel’s military and healthcare.” Read at JNS ↗
Right · 1In the ad, a woman shopping with a man tells him to put eggs and bananas back, saying they have to set $7 aside "for killing Palestinians" and that it is costing a lot to "drop bombs on Gaza". They also say they are probably paying for Israelis' universal healthcare. JNSR ““No, they like eggs, but we have to set that $7 aside for killing Palestinians,” she tells him.”““Yeah, they do,” she responds. “We’re paying for that too, probably.”” Read at JNS ↗ Right · 1The ad carries a disclaimer that no candidate authorized it. Neither article reports a response from El-Sayed or the PAC. JNSR “The ad has a disclaimer that it wasn’t authorized by a candidate.” Read at JNS ↗ Right · 1Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, called it "another example of scapegoating the Jewish state" and said, "You want to know what desperate looks like? Blaming the price of bananas on the Jewish state." He added that "at least we can thank them for a case study in antisemitism." JNSR ““You want to know what desperate looks like?” Greenblatt stated. “Blaming the price of bananas on the Jewish state.”” Read at JNS ↗
Right · 1Simone Rodan-Benzaquen of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies called it "one of the most antisemitic things I’ve ever seen in a political ad." JNSR “called it “one of the most antisemitic things I’ve ever seen in a political ad.”” Read at JNS ↗ Right · 1Brianna Wu, a co-founder and former executive director of Rebellion PAC who is vocally pro-Israel, said she had no role in the ad and had not worked with the group for years. She said she finds the message "as awful as you do." JNSR ““I’ve not worked with Rebellion for years,” she stated.”“I find this message as awful as you do.”” Read at JNS ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- A brief, descriptive item on an ad that is generating online conversation, presented as being about US aid to Israel and living costs.
- Emphasis
- The ad's theme of foreign aid versus cost of living.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the ad's content in detail, the antisemitism accusations, or the disclaimer that no candidate authorized it.
- For example
-
“the video highlights US foreign aid to Israel as Americans struggle with rising living costs.” — Al Jazeera
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Leads with condemnation of the ad as antisemitic, quoting the ADL and others, and sets out the ad's dialogue.
- Emphasis
- Critics' reactions and the ad's script; a former PAC head's disavowal.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Quotes no one defending the ad and reports no response from El-Sayed or the PAC.
- Charged language
- “case study”“scapegoating the Jewish state”“Total madness”
What every side reports
- Rebellion PAC released a video ad supporting Abdul El-Sayed, Democratic Senate candidate.
- The ad links US aid to Israel with Americans' rising living costs.
Where accounts differ
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What the ad represents
- Left
- Al Jazeera describes it as an ad that highlights US foreign aid to Israel amid rising living costs and is generating online conversation.
- Right
- JNS reports the ad as scapegoating Israel and as antisemitic, citing the ADL and others.
Anti-Defamation League organisation
The ADL's CEO Jonathan Greenblatt condemned the ad as scapegoating Israel and antisemitic.
““at least we can thank them for a case study in antisemitism.”” — JNS
Abdul El-Sayed person
El-Sayed is the candidate the ad supports; the ad's disclaimer says no candidate authorized it. No statement from El-Sayed is reported.
“The ad has a disclaimer that it wasn’t authorized by a candidate.” — JNS
Left1 article
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US foreign aid to Israel highlighted in campaign ad in support of El-Sayed
Neutral Short, descriptive framing of the ad as a theme on aid and living costs.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
-
JNSR ·
Ad for El-Sayed blaming rising grocery costs on Israel a ‘case study’ in Jew-hatred
Critical Presents the ad as antisemitic through critics' quotes.
- 26 Oct 13:20 First Al JazeeraLC US foreign aid to Israel highlighted in campaign ad in support of El-Sayed
- 26 Oct 14:42 +1h 22m JNSR Ad for El-Sayed blaming rising grocery costs on Israel a ‘case study’ in Jew-hatred
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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