Sister of Democratic star posted a greeting for October 7, and scolded Sanders: "Stand with the oppressed"
Outrageous videos and posts by Imaan Abdel-Hadi, half-sister of progressive Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, have been exposed. On the day of the October 7 massacre, she scolded Bernie Sanders for condemning Hamas, stating: "What a disappointment that you do not stand with the oppressed." On the one-year anniversary of the attack, she posted a "greeting" video while wearing a keffiyeh. Previously, she attacked Thanksgiving as being "linked to genocide" and wished for the fall of all empires.
Media outlets in the United States revealed over the weekend that the half-sister of Abdul El-Sayed, a member of the progressive camp who became the Democratic candidate for the Senate from Michigan this month, published a "greeting" on the one-year anniversary of the October 7 terror attack. The video, posted by Imaan Abdel-Hadi, surfaced as El-Sayed attempts to present himself as a moderate ahead of the November Senate race against Republican Mike Rogers, who currently leads by about 4%.
According to Fox News, Abdel-Hadi, a lecturer at the University of Chicago, posted a video on Instagram on October 7, 2024, titled "A greeting for October 7." Wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh, she declared: "I want to say Allahu Akbar. This phrase reminds us that no matter how great the cruelty and oppression, the horizon of justice is just around the corner." She added: "There is something stronger even than the strongest armies, and for me, that is God. Reflecting on this reaffirms my commitment to justice and not being trapped in the narratives that colonial powers impose on us."
This video drew attention to a response Abdel-Hadi wrote on October 7, 2023, when Bernie Sanders condemned the Hamas attack. She replied: "What a disappointment. If you cannot stand with people who have been held in an open-air prison for 16 years and are finally fighting their oppressors, how can you claim to stand with justice?"
The New York Post also unearthed a 2016 post where she expressed disgust at July 4th celebrations, calling it the "transfer of stolen land from one colonialist to another." In November 2024, she wrote regarding Thanksgiving: "If it weren't linked to genocide, Thanksgiving would be a lovely holiday. I wish all empires would fall."
El-Sayed himself has previously expressed similar views, once claiming the US was "built on the systematic extermination of indigenous peoples." His campaign stated: "Abdul loves his sister, but disagrees with her on a range of political positions and the rhetoric she chose to use. His campaign is focused on his public service record and his love for America and Michigan."
Abdel-Hadi has previously faced legal trouble; in October 2025, she was arrested in Illinois for allegedly assaulting a police officer during a protest outside an ICE detention facility.
El-Sayed’s victory in the Democratic primary over moderate Haley Stevens serves as a test for the party's direction. Despite AIPAC investing a record $32 million to support Stevens, she was defeated. El-Sayed’s supporters now aim to prove that the progressive camp can win in swing states like Michigan, further consolidating their influence within the party.
