Do we have Barham's full comments that prompted that response from Hammad?
Here's another article: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/dearborn-mayor-tells-resident-hes-212341603.html
The mayor of Dearborn ripped into a resident who objected to the placing of two signs in the city honoring an Arab American leader, telling the resident he's "not welcome here."
In his fiery remarks at Tuesday's council meeting on Sept. 9, Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud also told the resident that if he moves out of Dearborn, he will have a parade celebrating it. Speaking during the public comments part of the meeting, a resident, Ted Barham, had objected to signs from Wayne County placed on Warren Avenue named after Osama Siblani, a longtime Arab American leader, because of Siblani's past statements on some Middle Eastern groups. The day before the council meeting, on Sept. 8, the signs were unveiled in a ceremony attended by Hammoud, Siblani and several other officials and Arab American advocates.
"It seems very provocative to have those signs up there," Barham said. "It's almost like ... naming a street, Hezbollah Street or Hamas Street."
Hammoud responded: "I want you to know as mayor, you are not welcome here. And the day you move out of the city will be the day that I launch a parade celebrating the fact that you moved out of the city because you are not somebody who believes in coexistence."
Hammoud also told Barham to not drive along Warren Avenue where the signs are placed or close his eyes as he's driving past them. Hammoud then accused Barham of being a bigot based on a video Barham had posted online. It's unclear what remarks Barham allegedly made on the video that Hammoud was referring to; a review of a video by the Free Press that Hammoud may have been referring to did not find racist remarks made by Barham.
Barham started off his remarks by saying of Siblani, the publisher of the Arab American News, a Dearborn-based newspaper: "I'm sure he's done a lot of good things for the community, starting the Arab American News."
But he added that people in Dearborn should be concerned about some of Siblani's previous statements. Barham then quoted from past statements made by Siblani regarding Palestinians in battle and martyrs. The quotes from Siblani that Barham read appear to be taken from the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), a pro-Israel group that monitors what it considers to be extremism but has been accused by Arab American advocates for being bigoted. In February 2024, Siblani and others denounced at a press conference an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal written by the executive director of MEMRI that called Dearborn "America's Jihad Capital."
Barham said Siblani has suggested violence in his remarks, but Councilman Robert Abraham responded: "He's not a violent person, and you can interpret his words any way you want, but I will guarantee you he is not intending to incite violence anywhere in the world."
City Council President Michael Sareini, who attended the ceremony for the signs and praised Siblani at it, added that it was Wayne County who put up the signs, not Dearborn, noting that Warren Avenue is a county road.
Siblani told the Free Press on Friday, Sept. 12, that Barham, whom he's not familiar with, "was quoting me in bits and pieces" taken out of context, which he said MEMRI, cofounded by a former Israeli intelligence official, often does to him and other Arab American advocates.
At the same time, Siblani said "everything I said, I stand by. I'm not a person that shies away from what I believe. I don't speak about something that I do not believe what I am saying. I will take responsibility for it."
Siblani said some of the remarks mentioned by Barham and MEMRI were about when Israeli forces were attacking Palestinians in 2022 in Jenin, a city in the West Bank. He said that under international law, people have the right to fight back against "your oppressor, your occupier in all means." While in places like the Palestinian territories, some may use weapons, supporters in Michigan can protest peacefully in support of Palestinians, he said.
"And here in Michigan, we can raise our fist and say, 'free, free Palestine,'" Siblani said. "Yes, I did say that."
Barham told the council he is a Christian who wants peace and said he has previously lived in Lebanon, Israel and has visited Palestinian territories. He has spoken at previous council meetings about topics related to religion.
"I also appreciate how he has helped people to sympathize with the people of Palestine, people of Lebanon," Barham said of Siblani. But "my concern is ... he's a promoter of Hezbollah and Hamas."
Siblani has said previously that many in the Middle East feel that Hezbollah and Hamas are freedom fighters, not terrorist groups, but he does not promote the two groups. In Dearborn, some feel that Hamas and Hezbollah are not terrorist groups in the way that groups like ISIS and Al Qaeda are. There have been several rallies in Dearborn held over the years against terrorist groups such as ISIS.
"I spoke at a ceremony celebrating" the signs for Siblani, "because he's done a lot for the community," Hammoud said.
Hammoud, who's up for reelection in November, then referenced a video Barham has posted on YouTube, in which he is standing in front of the Islamic Center of America, a Dearborn mosque where Hammoud's uncle is the imam.
"It's quite hypocritical to know that you're approaching this podium when you yourself have videos on YouTube, standing in front of my mosque saying the cruelest of things about Muslims, about the religion of Islam, because you are a bigot and you are a racist, you are an Islamophobe," Hammoud said.
In a video, uploaded in 2019, Barham is seen briefly in front of the Islamic Center of America, singing a Christmas carol. He then is later seen interviewing Muslims on what appears to be a university campus, having discussions about theology, dialogue between Christians and Muslims, and what Jesus looked like. Barham is not heard saying anything derogatory about Islam.
After Hammoud attacked Barham during the meeting, Barham walked away from the podium and said to Hammoud: "God bless you, mayor."
Hammoud then replied: "You also say that I'm an apostate. I'm going to hell. ... If I were you, I would stay silent."
Sareini then said: "Ok, thank you, we don't want to have any outbursts."