Michigan Senate hopeful courting progressives entertains Iron Dome for Palestinians
A progressive state legislator vying to be Michigan’s next U.S. senator voiced openness to supporting an Iron Dome for Palestinians.
State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Mich., made the eyebrow-raising remark, first reported by Jewish Insider, during a recent interview with pro-Palestinian podcasters Matt Bernstein and Emma Vigeland.
"I don't think anybody should live in fear of being bombed or killed," McMorrow said when the hosts grilled her on her support for Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system. "I would look at how do we support defensive systems for Palestinians? How would we support defensive systems for Lebanese?"
Asked by Fox News Digital whether that would apply to Palestinians in Hamas-controlled Gaza, a spokesperson for McMorrow replied, "No."
"Her priority remains ending this war and securing lasting peace in the region," the spokesperson added.
During the interview, McMorrow also omitted mention of the Iranian-backed terror group Hezbollah, which fires missiles indiscriminately at Israel from Lebanon.
After Vigeland appeared to mockingly suggest Palestinians having access to Iron Dome missile technology, McMorrow enthusiastically replied, "Let’s have that conversation."
When McMorrow’s comments drew an audible groan from Bernstein, who continued to press the Senate hopeful to disavow her support for Israel’s defensive weaponry, she appeared to double down.
"I mean the horror of living in fear of being bombed constantly," McMorrow said. "Let’s work with the outcome of how do we end the violence, period."
McMorrow later said she hopes missile defense systems eventually become unnecessary altogether.
"I would love to get to a place where it's not needed, period, for anybody," she told the podcasters, referring to the Iron Dome.
She also told the podcasters that she would have supported a resolution sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., that blocked certain weapons sales to Israel. The measure failed in April due to overwhelming opposition from Senate Republicans and a handful of pro-Israel Democrats.
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McMorrow’s remarks come as she is vying for the Democratic nomination in a bruising three-way primary contest that counts Jewish, Muslim and Arab communities as important constituencies.
Rep. Haley Stevens, an establishment Democrat backed by pro-Israel groups, and Bernie Sanders-backed Abdul El-Sayed are also running in the August primary.
The Senate hopeful did not appear to push back when the podcasters railed against "Zionist indoctrination" or accused Israel of being an "apartheid state."
During the interview, McMorrow sought to cast herself as a bridge candidate who could keep the Democratic coalition from fracturing over Israel-Palestinian issues.
"If we let it tear us apart, we get Mike Rogers," McMorrow said, referring to the presumptive GOP nominee who is endorsed by the president. "[Donald] Trump gets a win."
El-Sayed sparked backlash earlier this year after leaked audio, reported by The Washington Free Beacon, showed the far-left candidate voicing concern about constituents who were allegedly upset about the assassination of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during a U.S.-Israeli airstrike.