Balad Party Withdraws Chairman Abu Shehadeh's Knesset Candidacy After Supreme Court Pressure

The Balad party announced Thursday evening that its chairman, Sami Abu Shehadeh, will not run in the upcoming 26th Knesset elections. This decision follows the Central Elections Committee's disqualification of his candidacy and subsequent appeals heard by the Supreme Court. During the hearing, Supreme Court President Yitzhak Amit informed Abu Shehadeh that there was a majority to disqualify him and recommended he withdraw his candidacy to spare the court from issuing a ruling. Justices Dafna Barak-Erez and Yechiel Kasher sharply criticized an article Abu Shehadeh published on October 8, 2023, with Barak-Erez calling it "appalling" and expressing "human detachment," while Kasher questioned if more was needed for disqualification.

Abu Shehadeh argued during the proceedings that his words were "unfortunate" and intended as a warning against further violence, stating he "never called for violence." Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, who led the push for disqualification, dismissed the withdrawal suggestion as "too merciful and damaging to democracy," insisting on a court ruling. Constitution Committee Chairman Simcha Rothman accused Amit of an "unholy alliance with Abu Shehadeh."

Prior to the decision, Balad reportedly debated whether to continue the appeal, fearing a disqualification could set a precedent for single-statement disqualifications, or to withdraw, which might be seen as an admission and a victory for Ben-Gvir. With Abu Shehadeh's withdrawal, he will not be placed on the party's list, and the next candidate in line will be promoted.

This development comes after the Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and State Attorney Amit Issman submitted their position to the Supreme Court, supporting Abu Shehadeh's disqualification. They argued that his October 8, 2023 article expressed support for an armed struggle against Israel, calling his explanations "disingenuous" and the timing "most severe." The Central Elections Committee had previously disqualified Abu Shehadeh by a 30-4 vote, citing denial of Israel's existence as a Jewish and democratic state and support for armed conflict by a terror organization or enemy state.