The Arab-American outreach director for the Harris campaign stated that Zionists have a significant influence on American politics.

Kamala Harris' newly-appointed Arab-American outreach director previously stated that Zionists had a significant influence on American politics.

The Harris campaign appointed Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary Brenda Abdelall to lead the vice president's efforts to win over Arab-American voters in the remaining months of the presidential race.

The Washington Free Beacon reported on comments Abdelall made in college in 2002.

Abdelall, a political science and Arabic/Islamic studies student at the University of Michigan, was asked by The New York Sun to respond to controversial comments made by a speaker at the American Muslim Council's convention. Jamil Fayez, a professor emeritus at Wake Forest University, had said, "Zionists are destroying America."

"The Zionists have a significant influence on American politics," Abdelall stated in response to The New York Sun. "While 'destroying' may be a strong word, I believe they are exerting a considerable amount of control over the political landscape."

The 2002 New York Sun report stated that Abdelall attributed the primary defeat of Rep. Earl Hilliard, D-Ala., to the "Jewish influence in politics," as he was targeted by Jewish groups for opposing a House resolution condemning Palestinian suicide bombings.

The Harris campaign defended Abdelall Friday, stating that in her role at DHS, Brenda worked closely on the implementation of the country's first National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism and led efforts for the first United We Stand summit, a White House event to counter hate-fueled violence. The 2002 comments do not reflect Brenda's views or the views of the campaign.

Both Harris and Biden faced difficulties in winning over Arab-American voters during the 2024 race, as they had been critical of the administration's response to the Israel-Hamas war following the Oct. 7 terrorist attack.

The duo has faced criticism and derogatory nicknames for supporting Israel's military aid while the death toll in Gaza continues to rise.

In Michigan, a significant number of voters who are part of the Arab-American community and reside in a crucial battleground state did not commit to Biden during the Democratic primary. Harris aims to win their support before the November election.