The city of Dearborn, represented by Democrat Rashida Tlaib, has honored Osama Siblani, a publisher and activist with a history of praising terror groups, by naming a street after him. The Osama Siblani sign now marks the intersection of Warren Avenue and Chase Road, a busy area lined with bakeries, shops, and the Islamic Center of Detroit.
Siblani, founder of the Arab American News, has a long record of inflammatory remarks about Israel and support for militant groups. At a 2022 rally, he told supporters, “We are the Arabs who are going to lift Palestinians all the way to victory … Believe me, everyone should fight within his means. They will fight with stones, others will fight with guns, others will fight with planes, drones, and rockets.”
His rhetoric has drawn condemnation from Jewish organizations and national watchdog groups. Sacha Roytman, CEO of the Combat Antisemitism Movement, said, “Wayne County’s naming of a street in honor of Osama Siblani is a disturbing move that only stokes the flames of hate… The growing normalization of such toxic rhetoric undermines the security of Jewish Americans, who are already facing unprecedented levels of antisemitic hostility.”
Despite these concerns, Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer has maintained ties to Siblani, including bringing him on a trade trip to the Middle East. National Jewish groups like the Anti-Defamation League have criticized such moves, with ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt stating, “Siblani is simply the wrong choice to serve as an interlocutor with the administration.”
