Balad Chairman Abu Shehadeh Criticizes Israel in TikTok Video Days After Hamas Attack

Sami Abu Shehadeh, chairman of the Balad party, posted a TikTok video on October 10, 2023, three days after the Hamas attack, in which he did not mention Hamas as responsible for the assault or condemn the massacre. The report by Kan News on Reshet Bet revealed that Abu Shehadeh instead accused Israel of inciting against Gaza residents and murdering Palestinians in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria.

In the video, Abu Shehadeh reiterated statements from an article that led to his disqualification from running in elections, calling the events a "significant strategic political event" with regional implications. He expressed solidarity with "martyrs, the wounded, and all innocent victims' families, especially our people in the Negev," but notably omitted any reference to Hamas's killings, kidnappings, or attacks on civilians, soldiers, and police.

Abu Shehadeh continued his criticism of Israel, citing "racist, barbaric, and inhuman incitement from the political and military leadership in Israel towards our people, especially Gaza residents." He mentioned terms like "genocide, ethnic cleansing, cutting off electricity and water, and massacre," alongside "extreme incitement and the murder of our people in the West Bank and Jerusalem." He also claimed Palestinians face internal threats, particularly in "historical Palestinian cities and mixed cities."

Abu Shehadeh had previously claimed he was unaware of the full scope of the events when he wrote his article. However, the video, posted after the article while militants were still active in Israel and the fate of many Israelis was unknown, echoed the same sentiments. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear appeals on Thursday regarding the disqualification of lists and candidates, including Abu Shehadeh, by the Central Elections Committee. Senior legal officials anticipate the Supreme Court will unusually uphold the disqualification given the circumstances. The petition to disqualify Abu Shehadeh was filed by Itamar Ben-Gvir and Otzma Yehudit, and the video may be relevant to the court's deliberations on his explanations to the committee.