Balad Chairman Withdraws Knesset Candidacy After Supreme Court Suggestion

Sami Abu Shehadeh, the chairman of the Balad party and number three on the Joint List, has withdrawn his candidacy for the upcoming Knesset elections. The decision came after Supreme Court President Yitzhak Amit suggested that Abu Shehadeh withdraw his candidacy to spare the court from issuing a ruling on his disqualification. Amit informed Abu Shehadeh that there was a majority among the justices to disqualify him.

The Supreme Court hearing concerned the Central Elections Committee's decision to disqualify Abu Shehadeh, along with the Joint List and the Ra'am party. However, it is widely expected that the court will overturn the disqualifications of the Joint List and Ra'am, as well as that of MK Ofer Cassif.

Abu Shehadeh's potential disqualification stemmed from an article he published on October 8, 2023, the day after the Hamas attack. In the article, he referred to the invasion of Gaza as a "historically important event militarily, politically, and strategically," and suggested that "if small, besieged Gaza could do this, others can do it more effectively and simply."

The Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, and the State Attorney, Amit Issman, supported Abu Shehadeh's disqualification, stating they believed he had supported armed struggle against Israel. During the court hearing, Justice Stein questioned Abu Shehadeh about his publications, asking for an article in English where he called Hamas a terrorist organization, to which Abu Shehadeh replied, "There is no such article."

Balad stated that Abu Shehadeh's withdrawal was a political decision made out of responsibility towards the Arab public and the Joint List, citing the severe implications for Arab political activity. The party emphasized that this is not the end of Abu Shehadeh's political struggle or Balad's mission.

Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, who had requested Abu Shehadeh's disqualification, expressed satisfaction with the withdrawal but regret that the Supreme Court did not issue a ruling. Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich criticized Amit's suggestion, calling it an evasion of a clear ruling against a "terror supporter." Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu, sarcastically commented on the withdrawal, referencing past discussions between Balad and the Likud party.