Hadash Party Council to Vote on Removing Candidate Amid Harassment Allegations

The national council of the Hadash party convened in Shefa-Amr on Monday for a special session expected to determine the fate of Jaafar Farah's candidacy for the Knesset's second spot on the party list. Approximately a thousand delegates were invited to the meeting, where a vote was scheduled on removing Farah from the list and selecting his replacement. The atmosphere was tense, with signs at the venue restricting entry to delegates only, barring journalists. Earlier, party chairman Professor Yousef Jabareen and Farah released a joint video aiming to foster reconciliation, calling for unity and a positive resolution to internal disputes ahead of list submissions and efforts to re-establish a joint Arab-Israeli list.

The controversy surrounding Farah's candidacy has persisted for months, stemming from allegations of sexual harassment. Hadash had initially announced on Friday that Farah agreed to withdraw, with Samir Abu Zeid, head of the Ilabun local council, selected to replace him. However, Farah subsequently retracted his agreement, asserting he would not relinquish his candidacy, while Abu Zeid stated the mandate remained with Farah.

The meeting was called following decisions by the national secretariat of the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality and the central committee of the Communist Party, alongside a request from one-third of the secretariat members. According to the planned proceedings, a committee report detailing testimonies against Farah will be presented. Farah will be given an opportunity to present his case before the council votes on the recommendation to remove him. If approved, a subsequent vote will be held to choose a new candidate for the second position on the Hadash list.