Israeli Election Candidates Linked to Support for Terrorists

As Israel's election campaign intensifies, revelations have emerged regarding candidates from the "United List" who have previously expressed support for individuals convicted of terrorist activities. The "United List," a bloc of Arab-majority parties, could play a crucial role in forming a potential opposition bloc against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

Among those facing scrutiny is Ahmad Tibi, head of the parliamentary faction, who recently stated his intention to work towards replacing Netanyahu's government. Tibi, along with Balad party chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh, has been criticized in the past for meeting with released Arab Israeli prisoners convicted of attacks that resulted in the deaths of Israeli soldiers and civilians, as well as Arab collaborators.

Bakr Awawdeh, running fifth on the list, attended an event celebrating the release of Karim Younis, who was convicted of murdering IDF soldier Avraham Bromberg. Awawdeh also posted about Fowzi al-Nimr, who led a cell responsible for attacks that killed three Israelis. Awawdeh visited al-Nimr's family, calling him a "fighter" and a "hero of the Palestinian people."

Another candidate, Faten Ghattas, joined the list after another candidate withdrew due to sexual harassment allegations. Ghattas has published statements characterizing Israel as an artificial colonial project and the U.S. as a primary threat. He has also claimed Israel was created by the British Empire for resource exploitation and financed by American Jewish capitalists for economic gain, alleging Israel uses Palestinians for weapons testing for international sales.