Israel's Attorney General Urges Supreme Court to Uphold Knesset Candidate's Disqualification

Israel's Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and the State Prosecutor have urged the Supreme Court to approve the disqualification of Knesset candidate Sami Abu Shehadeh. The legal officials argue that Abu Shehadeh's support for armed struggle against Israel, particularly his statements made during and immediately after the October 7th Hamas-led attack, warrants his removal from the political arena.

In an article published on October 8, 2023, one day after the deadly terror attack began and while it was ongoing, Abu Shehadeh expressed support for Hamas's armed struggle against Israel. The Attorney General contends that this behavior falls squarely within the grounds for disqualification stipulated in Israel's Basic Law: The Knesset.

Abu Shehadeh, chairman of the Balad party, also posted a TikTok video on October 10, 2023, three days after the Hamas assault. In the video, he did not mention Hamas as responsible for the attack nor did he condemn the massacre. Instead, he accused Israel of inciting violence against Gaza residents and of murdering Palestinians in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria.

The Attorney General stated that Abu Shehadeh's subsequent explanations for his controversial statements and overall conduct are evasive, partial, and fail to address the core allegations against him. The legal opinion asserts that his actions are exceptionally severe given the timing and context of the October 7th massacre.