Ra'am Member Opposes Disqualification of Arab Candidate Sami Abu Shehadeh

Yoav Segalovich, a member of the Ra'am party, has issued a formal statement clarifying his stance on the disqualification of Sami Abu Shehadeh from running in the upcoming elections. Segalovich stated, "My position is clear. I am fundamentally opposed to the disqualification of Sami Abu Shehadeh." He emphasized that his call for Abu Shehadeh not to run aligns with similar sentiments expressed within the Balad party and the Joint List, as well as by Arab legal experts and academics.

Segalovich condemned any attempts to misrepresent his words, reiterating his opposition to the disqualification. He acknowledged that according to the Elections Committee's decision, Abu Shehadeh had crossed a line, a fact he believes Abu Shehadeh himself understands. Segalovich noted that Abu Shehadeh had indicated he would rephrase his remarks and offered various explanations.

Despite this, Segalovich maintained his principled opposition to the disqualification, asserting that the matter should be decided by the Supreme Court. He also shared his personal opinion that it would be preferable for Abu Shehadeh not to compete in the upcoming elections, a view he shares with many within the Arab community, including academics, legal professionals, politicians, and figures from Balad and the Joint List who have recently urged Abu Shehadeh to withdraw his candidacy.