Scott Galloway clashes with Abdul El-Sayed over Gaza genocide claim

Sep 23, 2026

A public fight over whether to call Israel's war in Gaza a genocide has become a loyalty test inside the Democratic Party, and it is bad news for candidates trying to dodge the question.

  • Scott Galloway pressed Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed on calling Gaza a genocide, saying the word choice should disqualify him.
  • The legal definition covers acts meant to destroy a group "in whole or in part" — a phrase critics say Galloway left out.
  • A United Nations commission found last year that Israel committed genocide in Gaza, citing statements by Israeli officials alongside the conduct of its forces.
  • Polling puts 40% of American Jews in the same camp, so treating the label as disqualifying cuts off a large share of the party's own base.
  • Israeli genocide scholar Amos Goldberg says most experts who have spoken out agree, including leading Holocaust historians and legal authorities.

Outlook: Expect the genocide label to keep splitting Democratic primaries, with candidates who refuse to use it facing a hostile younger and progressive electorate.

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