Arab Party Head Withdraws Candidacy After Court Signals Disqualification

The Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Tajammu) party announced on Thursday night that its leader, Sami Abu Shehadeh, has withdrawn his candidacy for the upcoming elections. The decision came after the Supreme Court indicated that a majority of judges were leaning towards upholding a decision to disqualify him. Abu Shehadeh had initially refused to withdraw after being disqualified by the elections committee and appealed to the Supreme Court, defending his right and his constituents' right to political representation.

The party stated that the withdrawal was a "political responsibility towards our people and the Joint List, and the serious repercussions it would have on the entire political and parliamentary work." Tajammu emphasized that the decision was not a retreat from the party's positions or a submission to a campaign led by the right-wing, specifically mentioning Itamar Ben-Gvir. They stressed that Abu Shehadeh would continue to lead the party and its national efforts.

Tajammu asserted that the issue now transcends Abu Shehadeh's personal candidacy, raising "dangerous questions about the limits of political legitimacy granted to Arab citizens" and the use of disqualification to narrow the space for Arab political action. The party plans to challenge the disqualification attempts in democratic forums, human rights institutions, and international arenas, framing it as part of a broader trend of restricting the political and civil rights of Palestinian citizens in Israel.

The party thanked its members, activists, partners in the Joint List, legal teams, and human rights organizations for their support during the legal and political battle.