Balad Chairman Withdraws Knesset Candidacy Amidst Disqualification Push

Sami Abu Shehadeh, chairman of the Balad party, officially withdrew his candidacy for the Knesset on Friday, following indications that a majority of Supreme Court justices favored his disqualification. Balad announced that Abu Shehadeh will continue to lead the party. The Supreme Court also overturned the Central Elections Committee's decisions to disqualify Ra'am, the Joint List, and MK Ofer Cassif, allowing them to run in the upcoming elections.

The decision by Balad's central committee and political bureau came after extensive deliberation and in full coordination with Abu Shehadeh. The party stated the move was made out of political responsibility, emphasizing that Abu Shehadeh had fought the legal and political battle to the end, facing nine justices to defend his right and his public's right to political representation. Balad characterized the withdrawal not as an end but as a new phase, vowing to continue its political activities under Abu Shehadeh's leadership and asserting that the decision was not a retreat from the party's positions or a surrender to the right-wing's campaign against them, led by Itamar Ben-Gvir.

The party detailed its resistance, refusing to withdraw before the confrontation and rejecting the Elections Committee's ruling as final. They reached the Supreme Court, fighting until the court president indicated a leaning towards disqualification. Balad stressed that Abu Shehadeh did not retract his views or flee the struggle, only deciding to withdraw after the court signaled its intention to disqualify him.

Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, whose Otzma Yehudit party initiated the disqualification request, expressed satisfaction with Abu Shehadeh's withdrawal, citing his post-October 7th statements and support for Hamas. Ben-Gvir lamented that the Supreme Court allowed him to withdraw without a definitive ruling on the disqualification itself, vowing that Otzma Yehudit would continue to fight against supporters of terrorism and enemies of Israel seeking Knesset seats.

During the Supreme Court hearing, Justice Dafna Barak-Erez referenced an article Abu Shehadeh published after the October 7th massacre, calling it "appalling" and questioning how disqualification aligns with fundamental rights. Justice Ofer Grosskopf pondered whether a single, albeit severe, statement by a candidate warrants disqualification. The Attorney General's representative, Yonatan Berman, argued that while not every misstep leads to disqualification, the context of October 7th was exceptional. Abu Shehadeh stated he never called for violence, grew up in Jaffa and Lod, and knows victims of October 7th. He expressed regret for the article, stating he did not understand the full extent of the atrocities at the time and would never agree with or support such horrors. When asked if he regretted writing it, he responded affirmatively, questioning if he would agree with or support atrocities like rape. Justice Alex Stein asked Abu Shehadeh if he had ever written that Hamas is a terrorist organization, to which Abu Shehadeh replied that such language was not his and he did not write in the terms the justice desired.

Professor Yousef Jabareen, chairman of Hadash and the Joint List, declared after the hearing that they would work to remove those who sought to disqualify them from power. He called the day a dark one for democracy and the Arab public's right to representation, viewing it as the completion of a governmental revolution by the right. Jabareen affirmed their pride in their platform for peace, equality, and social justice, promising continued struggle for their rights and status, with a response from the Arab public and democratic Jewish forces expected on October 27th.