Arab Israeli Lawmaker Expresses Pride in Gaza's Resistance Post-Oct. 7 Massacre

A recent interview with Sami Abu Shehadeh, chairman of the Balad party and a member of the Knesset, has resurfaced, revealing statements made just two days after the October 7th Hamas attack. In the interview, conducted in Arabic with an Arab media outlet, Abu Shehadeh expressed pride in Gaza's resistance against Israel, stating, "This is an act of destruction, it is not a war." He further elaborated on the Israeli military's actions in Gaza, calling them "destruction" rather than war and describing Israel as possessing "one of the largest armies in the world" and having developed "one of the most brutal destruction machines globally."

Abu Shehadeh also commented on the disparity between the sides involved, asserting, "There are no two equal sides here, and people must be told the truth." This statement came as Israeli forces were still engaged with the last remaining Hamas terrorists who had infiltrated the Gaza border region.

The resurfaced interview is occurring amidst a discussion within the Central Elections Committee regarding a request by the Otzma Yehudit party to disqualify Abu Shehadeh's candidacy. Abu Shehadeh had previously claimed to the elections committee that on October 8th, he was unaware of the full extent of the massacre. However, the new evidence suggests he made similar statements even when the scale of the atrocities was widely known.