Hadash Party Faces Scandal Over Sexual Harassment Allegations Against Candidate

Two women's rights organizations, 'Women Against Violence' and 'A-Swar - Arab Feminist Movement,' have come forward with claims of six documented instances of sexual harassment and abuse of power by Jaafar Farah, a candidate for the Hadash party. The allegations, which span back to 2019, were published as part of the 'Harasser - Resign' campaign. Some testimonies were reportedly shared in 2019, while others were kept confidential by the organizations to protect the women involved. Following the accumulation of further evidence, the groups approached Hadash leadership for a meeting, which took place on June 24. During the meeting, they presented examples of testimonies to representatives of Maki and Hadash, without revealing the accusers' identities. The organizations stated that more testimonies have been received since the affair became public and are currently under review.

Hadash and Maki confirmed receiving information regarding the allegations and established a special team to address the issue. This team, however, was not authorized to determine the veracity of the claims but rather to examine the parties' responsibilities and how to politically, morally, organizationally, and publicly manage the situation. The team met with relevant parties, including women's organizations and Farah himself, to allow him to respond. On August 22, Maki and Hadash adopted the team's recommendations, which included urging Farah to withdraw his candidacy from the second spot on the list due to the presented evidence and potential public fallout.

Farah has vehemently denied all accusations, calling them "absolutely false" and suggesting their resurfacing is intended to harm him, his family, Hadash, and the Joint List. He stated he has worked with hundreds of people over the years with integrity and respect. However, he also expressed regret if any of his actions, lacking "sufficient consideration and attention," caused offense and apologized for any unintended impact. Farah affirmed his willingness to "stand and take responsibility" within a fair legal or independent professional process.

Hadash and Maki emphasized their commitment to addressing allegations of harm to women but stressed the importance of distinguishing between listening to women and determining guilt before a formal process. They noted that while the absence of a police complaint doesn't justify ignoring the information, not every allegation constitutes proven fact without investigation. After Farah refused to step down, Hadash and Maki deemed his personal statement "a positive step" but requested he address the remaining aspects of the team's report. They indicated that new information could lead to a renewed discussion.

The Balad party also commented, stating that the "national struggle" cannot supersede the fight for women's rights and that the right to a life free from violence, discrimination, and harassment is integral to the struggle for equality. Balad expressed concern over the allegations against one of the list's candidates and trust in their partners to handle the matter responsibly.