Balad Party's Troubled History Fuels Calls to Bar Leader from Knesset

The Israeli political party Balad, also known as the National Democratic Alliance, defines itself as an Arab-Palestinian national party representing Arab citizens of Israel as part of the Palestinian people. Its platform advocates for a "state of all its citizens" as an alternative to Zionism, demanding recognition of Arab Israelis as a national minority with collective rights. On the Palestinian issue, Balad supports ending Israeli control in the 1967 territories, establishing a Palestinian state, and addressing refugee and sovereignty issues in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

The party's history is marked by controversies involving its prominent figures. Azmi Bishara, a co-founder and former leader, fled Israel in 2007 amid serious security allegations, including aiding an enemy during wartime and contacting Hezbollah. He currently resides in Qatar and continues to influence Arab political discourse in Israel. Hanin Zoabi, a former Balad Knesset member, faced disqualification attempts from elections due to her participation in the 2010 Gaza flotilla and statements supporting terrorism, though she was ultimately allowed to run. She has also been convicted of offenses including insulting a public official and, in a separate case, forgery and attempted fraud related to party finances.

Another former Balad MK, Basel Ghattas, was convicted in 2017 for smuggling mobile phones and SIM cards to security prisoners, including one serving a life sentence for the murder of an IDF soldier. He admitted to passing envelopes containing political material from Balad to prisoners. Ghattas resigned from the Knesset as part of a plea deal, receiving a two-year prison sentence.

Sami Abu Shehadeh, the current chairman of Balad, is presented as a continuation of this political lineage. Following the October 7th Hamas attack, he published an article describing it as a "historically important event militarily, politically, and strategically." Critics argue this framing was positive despite the known atrocities. Abu Shehadeh later claimed he was unaware of the full extent of the horrors at the time and did not intend to support civilian harm. The article contends that Abu Shehadeh's actions and the party's platform, which includes supporting armed struggle against Israel, disqualify them from serving in the Knesset.