Activist with history of anti-Semitism campaigned with several Democrats over the last year, posts reveal

FIRST ON FOX: A Palestinian activist with a history of anti-Semitic social media posts and deep ties to “Squad” Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., has campaigned with multiple Democrats over the last year, Fox News Digital has learned.

Maher Abdel Qader, who has deep political ties to Democratic politicians and currently serves as a Vice President at AI Engineers in New York, has repeatedly promoted anti-Semitic conspiracy theories over the years, sharing an article on Facebook in 2016 that said Jews are “satanic” and “practice subversion and treason,” according to research from TPS shared with and verified by Fox News Digital.

In 2017, he shared a graphic that included the names of a couple dozen Jewish members of Congress and suggested that they have dual loyalty to Israel and the United States, which is one of the anti-Semitic tropes that got Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., in hot water in 2019.  

Despite Abdel Qader’s long history of anti-Semitism, he hosted multiple fundraisers for New York City Mayor Eric Adams dating back to last year when he was a candidate, including a “selfie” with Adams at a breakfast earlier this month on his Instagram account.

In September and October 2021, Abdel Qader was on the host committee of two fundraisers for Adams’ campaign for mayor.

“Arab and Muslim community leaders met at Marriott hotel – LaGuardia and held a Fundraising for Eric Adams the democratic nominee for New York City mayor,” Abdel Qader posted on Instagram in September 2021. “Event was organized by the Muslim Agenda 2021 Coalition.”

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In early 2021, Abdel Qader was one of six leaders to join Adams on a Zoom call to discuss Adams’ “campaign vision [and] issues” in addition to getting “engage[d] in his campaign,” adding that Adams “is on board with our community and will stand to support us.”

Another Democrat who recently embraced Abdel Qader was Minnesota’s Attorney General Keith Ellison, who is running for reelection. Last month, the Palestinian activist posted several pictures on his Instagram page from the New York City fundraiser, including a couple with him and Ellison.

“May 18, 2022, Fundraiser for Keith Ellison the 30th attorney general of the State of Minnesota in Manhattan- New York,” Abdel Qader wrote as the Instagram caption. “Also attended by Michael J. Garner, Chief Diversity Officer, MTA Department of Diversity and Civil Rights”

Two weeks ago, Abdel Qader was on the host committee of a virtual fundraiser for Rev. Jesse Jackson’s son, Jonathan Jackson, who is running for the House seat in Illinois’ First Congressional District.

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In the Instagram post promoting the fundraiser, where tickets start at $1,000, Abdel Qader says, “Jonathan Jackson son of Jesse Jackson/ Chicago is running for congress and needs our support. He is a staunch supporter of Palestine, Palestinians and our Arab American community.” 

Members of the far-left Squad have also participated in fundraisers alongside him.

Missouri Rep. Cori Bush took part in a virtual Zoom fundraiser with Abdel Qader last September, his Instagram account shows. 

In early November, Abdel Qader posted a Bush fundraising flier for a reception hosted by the St. Louis Palestine Solidarity Committee and the Muslim Community of St. Louis, which solicited donations between $100 and $2,500 for Bush’s campaign, according to the flier. It appears he donated $250 to her campaign for the fundraiser.

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Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib has participated in several events with Abdel Qader over the years, with the most recent fundraiser posted to his Instagram account on September 25, 2021. 

One day after the fundraiser, Abdel Qader posted a picture of himself alongside Tlaib on a Manhattan, New York, rooftop.

Abdel Qader has not only been a key fundraiser for Tlaib, donating $6,500 to her campaign since 2018, but he was also the chairman of her finance committee during her successful 2018 Congressional campaign. Tlaib introduced Abdel Qader by the title at a campaign event.

And in 2018, Tlaib presented Abdel Qader with a medal as a sign of gratitude for his help with her inaugural campaign. 

Abdel Qader has garnered previous media attention and criticism, particularly for his ties to Tlaib. 

In November 2019, the Daily Caller revealed that in 2018 he had shared an anti-Semitic video that claimed Jews are “satanic” and control the media. The video had also questioned whether 6 million Jews had died in the Holocaust. 

Abdel Qader had also espoused anti-Semitic rhetoric in other social media posts, including claiming that Jews aren’t actually from Israel, according to the Caller’s report. 

Abdel Qader even posted a few anti-Semitic posts aimed at former President Trump, including a sign of Trump wearing a yarmulke and holding a Chanukah menorah and an Israeli flag. The sign said, “Hey Donald we thought you said America First!” 

The Palestinian activist also used his Facebook account to promote the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. In 2018, he said, “Boycott Apartheid racist state of Israel. Condemn Radical Jewish settlers who are terrorizing Palestinians civilians daily.” Another 2018 Facebook post shows several pro-BDS graphics.

Fox News Digital reached out to Abdel Qader and the campaigns of all the Democrats he campaigned with, but none of them responded to media inquiries.