Israel's Attorney General Seeks Knesset Ban for Arab Lawmaker

Israel's Attorney General and the Legal Advisor to the Government have asked the Supreme Court to uphold the disqualification of Sami Abu Shehadeh, head of the National Democratic Alliance party, from running in the upcoming Knesset elections. Their legal position argues that Abu Shehadeh's alleged support for armed struggle against Israel, particularly in the context of the October 7th Hamas attack, constitutes grounds for his exclusion under Israeli law.

Officials cited an October 8, 2023, article published by Abu Shehadeh as evidence of his support for the "armed struggle waged by Hamas against Israel." They contend that his behavior, as detailed in the article and other evidence, falls within the scope of reasons for disqualification outlined in the Basic Law: The Knesset. The Attorney General and Legal Advisor dismissed Abu Shehadeh's explanations for his statements and general conduct as evasive and failing to address the core allegations.

Further evidence presented against Abu Shehadeh includes a video released on October 10, 2023, which was first reported by Israeli broadcaster Kan. In the video, Abu Shehadeh reportedly did not name Hamas as responsible for the attack, nor did he condemn it. Instead, he is said to have accused Israel of inciting against Gaza residents and killing Palestinians in Jerusalem and the West Bank.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear appeals on Thursday regarding decisions by the Central Elections Committee to disqualify lists and candidates, with Abu Shehadeh being a prominent case. The initial petition to disqualify Abu Shehadeh was filed by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and his Otzma Yehudit party. The Supreme Court will have the final say on the matter.