Balad Leader Urges Arab Public to Vote, Criticizes Ra'am's Candidate
Sami Abu Shehadeh, the chairman of the Balad party, has called on the Arab public to participate in large numbers in the upcoming Knesset elections, stating that increased voter turnout is crucial to combat Israeli policies, rising crime within the Arab community, and to prevent the return of what he termed "criminals" to power. In an interview with "Al-Jaramek," Abu Shehadeh linked voting to the struggle against government policies, including home demolitions and organized crime, as well as the situation of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem, and what he described as attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Abu Shehadeh believes that a high voter turnout can alter the Arab community's political standing, enabling them to "stop the bleeding" and open doors to a better future. He also addressed the relationships between Arab political parties as the deadline for submitting lists approaches. Balad is running as part of the Joint List with Hadash and Ta'al, while Ra'am is running separately. Abu Shehadeh indicated that any surplus vote agreement between Ra'am and the Joint List could only be considered after the lists are submitted and approved next week, leaving the door open for a potential future agreement.
Regarding Ra'am's proposal for a "code of honor" to prevent negative campaigning, Abu Shehadeh stated that Balad "does not need a covenant" but requires commitment to ethical conduct and respect for differing opinions, though he affirmed his party's readiness to sign such an agreement. However, he strongly criticized Ra'am's decision to include former Knesset member Yoav Segalovitz on its list, describing him as holding "Zionist positions" that contradict Balad's stance on the war in Gaza, the Jewish nature of the state, and the conscription of Arab youth. Abu Shehadeh asserted that political parties have the right to debate each other's decisions, even if it involves criticism.
Abu Shehadeh further claimed that the incitement against Arab parties is not limited to the Joint List or Ra'am but targets "Arabs, the Arab voice, and the Arab voter." He argued that this very phenomenon underscores the necessity of broad participation by the Arab public in the elections.