Joint List Leader Vows to Fight Disqualification of Arab Candidate

Professor Yousef Jabareen, head of the Joint List, stated that the effort to disqualify candidate Sami Abu Shehadeh transcends the individual, framing it as a battle for the future of Arab parliamentary representation and political freedom. Jabareen's remarks came during a radio interview on Wednesday, coinciding with a Central Elections Committee meeting to discuss disqualification requests, including those targeting the Joint List and Abu Shehadeh.

Jabareen asserted that the Joint List, with legal counsel, is working to prevent any of its candidates from being disqualified, arguing that current legal standards do not sufficiently justify Abu Shehadeh's removal. He noted that the Attorney General did not directly approve the disqualification but urged the committee to seriously consider the request based on an article Abu Shehadeh published on October 8, 2023, while confirming no legal basis existed to disqualify the Joint List itself.

Jabareen questioned the validity of disqualifying a candidate based on a single article, contrasting it with years of political stances and statements. He emphasized that candidate evaluation should consider their entire political activity, not isolated texts. The debate's trajectory, whether legal or political, especially post-October 7, will be crucial if the case reaches the Supreme Court.

He strongly criticized Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, for supporting Abu Shehadeh's disqualification, calling it a "drag" behind the right-wing political climate. Eisenkot had stated that Abu Shehadeh's October 8 article could not be erased by a subsequent clarification. Jabareen argued that anyone aspiring to replace the right-wing government should also present clear positions on Arab minority rights and freedom of expression.

Jabareen stressed that the Joint List views this not as a personal issue for Abu Shehadeh but as a matter of the Arab public's right to choose its representatives and engage in political activity. He warned that disqualifying Abu Shehadeh could set a precedent for future elections, impacting freedom of expression and political action.

Regarding potential future political alignments, Jabareen stated it was too early to decide on supporting a prime ministerial candidate, indicating the Joint List would review the political landscape post-election in consultation with its constituent parties, including the National Democratic Assembly (Balad), to make a responsible decision.