Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Michigan, said in an ABC News interview this week that he does not consider Israel an ally of the United States.

El-Sayed has criticized Israel before, but his remarks to anchor Linsey Davis on her program All Access were his most direct yet.

Asked whether he considers Israel an American ally, El-Sayed said an ally that “takes your money to push you into wars you shouldn’t be fighting is not an ally.” He compared Israel to a child’s friend who borrows money, speaks badly of them behind their back and drags them into fights with others. “I think it’s time for us to realize that Israel is not actually our friend,” he said.

The comments followed an interview last Thursday with MS NOW, in which El-Sayed accused the Israeli government of using the United States and misusing American aid. He said the Israeli military had committed war crimes and genocide, and called for a serious debate over whether the U.S. should continue funding the Israeli government.

It's unsuprising to hear these sentiments whose family members have demonstrated ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, declined to comment on the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to avoid upsetting his base, and justified a terror attack on a Michigan synagogue by blaming Israel. In an earlier debate, El-Sayed declined to say whether Israel or Iran posed a greater threat to the United States, a response that angered his critics.

His Republican opponent in the closely contested race is former Congressman Mike Rogers.