Israel's Attorney General Urges Supreme Court to Uphold Ban on Knesset Candidate Sami Abu Shehadeh

Israel's Attorney General and the State Prosecutor have asked the Supreme Court to approve the disqualification of Knesset candidate Sami Abu Shehadeh, arguing that he expressed support for Hamas's armed struggle. They stated that the circumstances and timing of his alleged support, particularly following the October 7th Hamas attack, are "extreme and of the gravest timing."

The legal officials submitted their position to the Supreme Court on Tuesday, asserting that Abu Shehadeh's candidacy should be disqualified due to his support for armed conflict against Israel, including during the October 7th onslaught. "We must approve the disqualification of Knesset candidate Sami Abu Shehadeh for his support of armed struggle in Israel, including during the October 7th attack, under extreme circumstances and at the gravest possible timing," read the statement.

Central to their argument is an article Abu Shehadeh published on October 8, 2023, one day after the Hamas attack began and while it was still ongoing. The Attorney General and State Prosecutor contend that the article "expresses a view of support for the armed struggle of the terrorist organization Hamas against the State of Israel."

They further argued that Abu Shehadeh's actions are not peripheral but central to the grounds for disqualification as defined by Basic Law: The Knesset. His subsequent explanations and other presented evidence were deemed "disingenuous, partial, and do not address the central claims raised against him."

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir commented that even the Attorney General and State Prosecutor could not ignore the evidence against Abu Shehadeh, supporting the request by Otzma Yehudit party to disqualify him. He credited attorney David Babley of Otzma Yehudit for gathering the materials leading to this stance.

In addition to the Attorney General's submission, attorneys for the Central Elections Committee filed an exceptional request with the Supreme Court to add further evidence against Abu Shehadeh. This includes a video posted on his social media three days after the massacre, where he refers to the event as a "significant political-strategic event" and praises "martyrs" and Negev residents, without condemning the massacre. A podcast transcript where he calls Hamas's war "steadfastness" and "legendary," and a video of a speech where he mocks Israeli focus on October 7th and justifies the attack as a result of "siege," "occupation," and "daily crimes" were also submitted.