Otzma Yehudit Seeks to Add Evidence Against Balad MK Ahead of Knesset Candidacy Hearing

The Otzma Yehudit party has filed an unusual request with Israel's Supreme Court to introduce new evidence against Sami Abu Shehadeh, the chairman of the Balad party. The request comes ahead of a crucial hearing scheduled for Thursday, where the court will decide whether to uphold the Central Elections Committee's decision to disqualify Abu Shehadeh from running for the Knesset.

Otzma Yehudit's lawyers, Ze'ev Wolf and David Bavli, argue that new evidence proves Abu Shehadeh lied to the Elections Committee and continued to express support for Hamas throughout the ongoing war. They claim this evidence was discovered after Abu Shehadeh presented his defense to the committee.

Among the newly submitted evidence is a social media video posted just three days after the October 7th Hamas attacks. In the video, Abu Shehadeh refers to the events as a "Palestinian issue that underwent a significant strategic-political event, a very big political event." He harshly criticizes Israel and praises "martyrs" without condemning the massacre or the hundreds of soldiers and civilians killed.

Otzma Yehudit also seeks to include documentation from a party conference, published on Abu Shehadeh's accounts. In this material, he is seen mocking the Israeli public, stating, "They've been feeding us nonsense about October 7th. History didn't start there and this is a direct result of the 'daily crimes' against the residents of Gaza."