FIRST ON FOX: GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed’s campaign has collected more than $115,000 from individuals who work for or have held leadership roles with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which has been designated a terrorist organization by the United Arab Emirates and formally designated or labeled as such in Florida and Texas.

A Fox News Digital review found that El-Sayed, who has made getting «money out of politics» a central campaign rallying cry, has accepted donations from at least 41 individuals who either work for CAIR, formerly worked for CAIR, or have served in leadership positions with the organization.

The donor list includes several of CAIR’s highest-ranking officials, including national Board Chair Manal Fakhoury, national Board Treasurer Eyas Abdeen, national Vice Chair Emad Sabbah, and CAIR-Michigan board member Jukaku Tayeb, El-Sayed’s father-in-law.

Tayeb has been one of the largest financial backers of the super PAC supporting El-Sayed’s campaign and is also part of the founding committee of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), a group linked to Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood funding, Washington Free Beacon first reported.

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One donor, CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad, listed in FEC records under the name Nehad Hammad, drew national condemnation after saying he was «happy» to see Hamas break out of Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, and arguing Israel «does not have the right to self-defense» as an occupying power.

The contributions were not limited to Michigan. Fox News Digital identified donations from CAIR national leaders and officials affiliated with chapters in California, Arizona, Texas, Georgia, Washington, Illinois, Minnesota and Ohio, among other states, illustrating the breadth of support El-Sayed received from within the organization’s leadership ranks.

Other names on the donor list include CAIR-California Governance Board Treasurer Rubina Alvi, CAIR-California Governance Board Chair Asaad Traina, CAIR-Michigan board member Muzammil Ahmed, who contributed $11,600 to El-Sayed’s campaign, CAIR-California Governance Board member Atef Ibrahim, CAIR-California Governance Board member Dina Ezzeddine, and former CAIR National Board Chair Roula Allouch.

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Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed poses for a portrait in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (Evan Cobb for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

El-Sayed has maintained ties to CAIR beyond campaign fundraising. In 2022, he appeared at a CAIR event and was paid for a speaking engagement, where he criticized Oklahoma’s ban on Sharia law and compared it to the Trail of Tears, Washington Free Beacon reported.

CAIR has long been the subject of controversy over its alleged ties to Hamas. In 2007, federal prosecutors named the organization an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terrorism financing case, the largest terrorism financing prosecution in U.S. history.

Although CAIR was never charged with a crime, federal prosecutors argued the organization was part of a network created to support Hamas in the United States. CAIR has denied the allegations and has challenged its inclusion as an unindicted co-conspirator.

In recent years, Florida and Texas have formally designated or labeled CAIR a terrorist organization, while the United Arab Emirates designated the group a terrorist organization in 2014 which is widely understood to stem from the UAE’s view that CAIR has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.

In response to Fox News Digital’s request for comment, CAIR denied allegations that it has ties to terrorism, citing its «Dispelling Rumors About CAIR» webpage and a memorandum stating it has «repeatedly condemned antisemitism throughout our 30 years of existence» and has «for decades» maintained a statement condemning «terrorist attacks committed by Hamas and other designated terrorist groups.»

CAIR also highlighted a previous statement «has appeared on CAIR’s website since 2009» saying, «We unequivocally condemn all acts of terrorism, whether carried out by al-Qa’ida, the Real IRA, FARC, Hamas, ETA, or any other group designated by the U.S. Department of State as a ‘Foreign Terrorist Organization.»

Additionally, CAIR cited a National Board statement condemning antisemitism and the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, along with a 2023 editorial in which National Executive Director Nihad Awad said he agreed with the organization’s condemnation of attacks on civilians.

Fox News Digital reached out to the El-Sayed campaign for comment.

Hussam Ayloush, an executive director of CAIR, speaks during a press conference. (Marc Martin/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

El-Sayed has repeatedly drawn criticism from Republicans and pro-Israel advocates over his associations and comments related to the Middle East, including campaigning with far-left streamer Hasan Piker, his response to an attack targeting a Detroit synagogue, and declining to comment on the death of Iran’s supreme leader, citing constituents in Dearborn who were mourning.

El-Sayed defeated Dem. Rep. Haley Stevens in the Democratic Senate primary on Tuesday night in a race that was much closer than most pundits expected. El-Sayed will face off against Republican Mike Rogers, a former congressman, in November.

Juan Luis Guerra cerrará el 8 de agosto los Juegos Centroamericanos y del Caribe Santo Domingo 2026 con Canto a la Patria, obra que compuso y donó al Estado dominicano en 2006. La clausura será a las 18:00 hora horas en la Arena Banreservas Virgilio Travieso Soto, tras 16 días de competencia.

El acto de cierre pondrá fin a los XXV Juegos Centroamericanos y del Caribe y servirá como despedida formal de Santo Domingo 2026. La organización indicó, citada por el medio dominicano El Día, que la noche evocará la gesta deportiva vivida en el país y recordará la participación de atletas de distintas naciones que compitieron por las medallas.

El coro Más que Vencedores formará parte de esa presentación, en un segmento concebido como tributo tanto a la nación como a quienes sostuvieron la producción de las ceremonias. La publicación señaló que el homenaje alcanzará al personal que trabajó en esos actos conmemorativos.

Alberto Zayas, productor general y director creativo de las ceremonias, definió la presencia del artista como un gesto nacional. “Recibir este regalo del maestro es un honor para todo el país. Cerrar el centenario de los Juegos con su voz será un momento inolvidable”.

José P. Monegro, presidente del Comité Organizador de Santo Domingo 2026, sostuvo que la participación del cantante refuerza el sentido que la organización quiso darle al evento desde su apertura. “Que el maestro Juan Luis Guerra esté en el cierre de estos Juegos confirma lo que han sido desde el primer día: una causa de país”.

Monegro añadió que la organización asumió esa confirmación como una muestra de respaldo institucional y simbólico. “El Comité Organizador recibe su gesto con profunda gratitud, y lo devuelve con el compromiso de una clausura a la altura de estos dieciséis días inolvidables”.

De acuerdo con el medio dominicano Listín Diario, Juan Luis Guerra llegará a esta clausura con una trayectoria de más de 4 décadas y decenas de premios internacionales. El medio subrayó que su carrera lo ha convertido en una de las figuras que más han proyectado el nombre de la República Dominicana en el exterior.

Juan Luis Guerra nació en Santo Domingo el 7 de junio de 1957 y construyó una carrera que, según la biografía publicada en su sitio oficial, convirtió al merengue y la bachata en repertorios de alcance internacional, con discos de alto impacto comercial, premios Grammy y Latin Grammy, giras mundiales y reconocimientos académicos y culturales.

Entre los datos más contundentes de ese recorrido figuran ventas de más de nueve millones de copias para Bachata Rosa, más de siete millones para la compilación Grandes Éxitos y una convocatoria superior a 400,000 personas en el cierre del Festival de Tenerife, en España. La publicación también ubica entre sus hitos un concierto agotado para más de 60,000 personas en el Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez de Santo Domingo.

El músico dominicano estudió Filosofía y Letras en la Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo y luego ingresó al Conservatorio Nacional de Música de la capital dominicana. Más tarde se trasladó a Boston para formarse en Berklee College of Music, donde obtuvo una licenciatura en Composición de Jazz y años después recibió un doctorado honoris causa.

De regreso en República Dominicana, grabó en 1984 su primer álbum, Soplando, junto a un grupo de músicos y vocalistas locales que después sería conocido como Juan Luis Guerra y 4.40.

Citado por la biografía oficial, el artista definió ese debut como “una fusión de merengue tradicional con jazz unido a una vocalización al estilo del grupo vocal estadounidense Manhattan Transfer”.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog issued a stern warning about the global spread of antisemitism in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital at his Jerusalem residence.

«Antisemitism is an age-old plague which should be dealt with by everybody, by all societies. It’s not an Israeli issue or only a Jewish issue,» he said.

«It’s a contamination of societies that starts with the Jews — never ends with them. It’s the most dangerous phenomena that has to be dealt with aggressively, with no mercy, with full adjudication, and most importantly, with education,» he added.

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Herzog’s warning comes as newly released New York City Police Department (NYPD) data show anti-Jewish incidents accounted for 56.9% of all confirmed hate crimes since the start of 2026, even though Jewish New Yorkers make up only about 10% of the city’s population.

Herzog pointed to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whom he accused of spreading hate and compromising the lives of New Yorkers.

«Mamdani does not respect my nation’s right for self-determination — the Jewish people’s inherent right to have a nation of their own. And he’s basically spreading blasphemy, hate, antisemitic rhetoric. He should understand that he’s risking his own citizens, he’s risking their safety, well-being and life,» Herzog told Fox News Digital.

In a video posted on social media on July 21, Mamdani called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu «a war criminal» and «the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people.»

Days later, Raul Morales, 51, allegedly yelled «Allahu Akbar» while stabbing two men on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, including one who was visibly identifiable as Jewish.

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Members of the Jewish community view the scene of an antisemitic arson attack in the Golders Green neighborhood of north London, on March 24, 2026. (Henry Nicholls/AFP via Getty Images)

«We’ve seen the stabbing just a few days ago… just because somebody was dressed as an Orthodox Jew. This cannot be accepted in New York, which is a city that is dear to our heart, dear to Israelis, and dear to me personally,» Herzog said.

More broadly, a report released last month by the J7 Large Communities’ Task Force Against Antisemitism found that 20 people were killed in antisemitic attacks across seven countries outside Israel in 2025, marking the deadliest year for such violence in the Jewish diaspora since 1994.

The J7 comprises Jewish communities in the United States, Australia, Canada, Argentina, the United Kingdom, Germany and France.

People walk through Times Square during an anti-Israel rally on Oct. 4, 2025, in New York City. (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)

According to the report, more than 23,000 antisemitic incidents were recorded across the J7 countries last year, representing a 97% increase in violent attacks and a 136% rise in overall incidents compared with 2022.

«Of course, Israel is doing its best, but it has to be an effort with governments all over the world, law enforcement agencies, educational systems and Jewish communities, which we care about a lot,» Herzog said, in reference to confronting Jew-hatred.

Referencing a recent article by professor Niall Ferguson titled «The Death of History,» he said, «How much TikTok or the social networks distort the facts of history? They negate the worst and greatest horror of humankind, the Holocaust. And that’s why we have to stand up together and combat it,» he told Fox News Digital.

Herzog stressed that misinformation spread through distorted and superficial channels makes it easy to smear Israel on social media, but that such narratives do not reflect reality.

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Aerial view of Israel’s Mediterranean coastal city Tel Aviv. (Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images)

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«[Israel] is the place where the Startup Nation flourishes. This is the place where great ideas are given to the world and contribute enormously to the world in so many great fields, from health to energy, to science, to agriculture, to food security, to what not. There’s a reason why Americans who visit our country, young Americans, fall in love with this country,» he said.

Growing antisemitism, coupled with polarization within and between Jewish communities and a weakening sense of Jewish identity in some places, led Herzog to launch Voice of the People in April 2023. The initiative brings together a council of 150 emerging leaders — one-third from Israel, one-third from the United States and the remainder from around the world.

Leaders are selected through an algorithm from thousands of candidates and serve rotating terms of roughly two years, developing ideas to address challenges facing the Jewish world.

The initiative held an in-person kickoff summit in March 2025 in Haifa, featuring Herzog and bringing together all council members, reflecting his belief in building the next generation of Jewish leadership, which he described as one of his main tasks.

«I’m overjoyed by the great ideas I see and feel, and I hope that around November we will have a new registration starting for the next slot, the next cohort, and I invite as many Jewish friends to register,» he said.