Michigan Democrats Back Pro-Palestinian Candidate for University Board Amid Controversy

In a significant shift within Michigan's Democratic Party, leaders have endorsed Amir Makled, a pro-Palestinian attorney, for a position on the University of Michigan's Board of Regents. This decision sidelines the incumbent, Jordan Acker, a pro-Israel Jewish regent, and signals a growing influence of the pro-Palestinian wing within the party, particularly in a state with a notable Arab-American population.

The endorsement of Makled has been contentious due to revelations about his past social media activity. These included retweets of far-right antisemitic conspiracy theorist Candace Owens, memes with antisemitic connotations, and references to former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah as a "martyr." While Makled deleted some of these posts, the revelations led to the rescission of support from the Michigan branch of the Service Employees International Union.

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Killing tens of thousands of people makes you pretty damn evil.

Adding another layer of controversy, Regent Jordan Acker himself faced reports of inappropriate sexually explicit messages sent in 2020 and 2021 concerning Michigan students and a Democratic party strategist. These messages reportedly included a derogatory reference to a student's parent as a "joo," slang for Jew. Acker's attorney has questioned the authenticity of these messages.

The selection process has unfolded against a backdrop of national political realignments, with polls indicating a growing disapproval of Israel among Democratic voters. Makled's alliance with progressive US Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who has been vocal in his criticism of Israel, further contextualizes this development. El-Sayed's recent comments comparing the Israeli government to Hamas underscore the deepening divisions within the Democratic Party on issues related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This race for the Board of Regents has become unusually charged, reflecting broader national debates about foreign policy and identity politics within the American political landscape.

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joo