Balad Party Leader Sami Abu Shehadeh Criticizes Israel in TikTok Video Post-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 name the terror organization as responsible for the assault nor did he condemn the massacre. The report by Kan News on Monday stated that Abu Shehadeh accused Israel of inciting against Gaza residents and of 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, saying, "The Palestinian issue has undergone a significant strategic political event that is still in its infancy. This is a very large political event that will have implications for the Palestinian issue and the entire region." He added, "Our hearts are with the families of the martyrs, the wounded, and all the families of the innocent victims, and we will especially remember our people in the Negev." The video did not mention Hamas's murders, kidnappings, or attacks on civilians, soldiers, and police officers.

Abu Shehadeh continued his criticism of Israel, stating, "We hear racist, barbaric, and inhuman incitement from the political and military leadership in Israel towards our people, especially towards the residents of Gaza. We hear terms like genocide, ethnic cleansing, cutting off electricity and water, and massacre, in addition to extreme incitement and the murder of our people in the West Bank and Jerusalem." He also claimed, "There are also threats against us Palestinians internally, especially against the residents of the historic Palestinian cities and mixed cities."

Abu Shehadeh recently claimed he was unaware of the full scope of the event when he wrote the article. However, the video was published after the article, while terrorists were still in Israeli territory and the fate of many Israelis was unknown, and it echoed the same sentiment. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear appeals on Thursday regarding the Central Elections Committee's decisions, including the disqualification of lists and candidates, notably Abu Shehadeh. Senior legal officials anticipate the Supreme Court will unusually uphold the disqualification due to the circumstances, a fact that Kan News reported last week. The video may also be relevant to the court's discussion, raising questions about Abu Shehadeh's explanations to the committee.