Arab Balad Party Withdraws Candidate Ahead of “Israeli” Election

By Staff, Agencies

The Arab Balad party has withdrawn its leader Sami Abu Shehadeh from the October 27 general election after the “Israeli” “Supreme Court” indicated that most of the judges hearing his case supported barring him from the race.

Balad, formally known as the “National Democratic Assembly” and running as part of the Joint List, agreed Thursday to Abu Shehadeh’s voluntary withdrawal following a court hearing. “Supreme Court” President Yitzhak Amit told him that a majority of the judges favored upholding his disqualification.

According to “Israeli” public broadcaster KAN, the court gave Abu Shehadeh until Friday to withdraw voluntarily, warning that it would otherwise issue a ruling preventing him from running.

The “Israeli” Central Elections Committee had voted on September 23 to disqualify Abu Shehadeh and Joint List lawmaker Ofer Cassif. It also voted to bar the Joint List and United Arab List from participating in the election.

The case against Abu Shehadeh centers on an article he published on October 8, 2023, following the Hamas-led operation on communities near Gaza. Right-wing groups, including so-called “National Security” Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Jewish Power party, accused him of expressing support for the operation. Abu Shehadeh has rejected the allegation.

During Thursday’s hearing, Abu Shehadeh said he did not support armed struggle and acknowledged that part of his article had been poorly worded. He said his intention had been to call for a political solution to the conflict.

KAN reported that judges viewed some passages in the article as provoking “displeasure and revulsion.” Adalah, the rights organization representing Abu Shehadeh, argued that his disqualification was based on a single article that contained no explicit call to support armed struggle.

The “Israeli” attorney general backed the move to disqualify Abu Shehadeh.

Arab lawmakers and supporters demonstrated outside the “Supreme Court” in West Al-Quds [“Jerusalem”] during the hearings. Ben-Gvir also appeared at the scene and waved an “Israeli” flag in front of protesters.

Under “Israeli” electoral law, the disqualification of an individual candidate requires approval from the “High Court,” while decisions excluding electoral lists can be appealed before the court. The “High Court” has previously overturned Central Elections Committee decisions barring Arab candidates and political parties.

1948 Arabs account for roughly 20 percent of the population. Voters are scheduled to elect the 120 members of the Knesset on October 27.