Balad Chairman Resigns from Knesset Race After Supreme Court Suggestion

Sami Abu Shahadeh, chairman of the Balad party, has withdrawn his candidacy for the 26th Knesset. The decision came after the Supreme Court suggested he remove himself from the race, thereby avoiding a definitive ruling on his disqualification. Abu Shahadeh submitted his formal resignation to the Central Elections Committee on Friday, stating it was of his own free will and irrevocable.

The Supreme Court's recommendation followed a hearing on a petition against his disqualification. During the hearing, Supreme Court President Yitzhak Amit, speaking for the panel, indicated that the likely outcome would be upholding the disqualification decision, citing a consensus among the justices regarding the severity of Abu Shahadeh's statements. Amit advised Abu Shahadeh to consider withdrawing to bypass a formal judgment.

Abu Shahadeh's candidacy was initially disqualified by the Central Elections Committee, with its chairman, Justice Noam Sohlberg, also voting in favor of the disqualification. The petition to disqualify him was filed by Otzma Yehudit, which argued that his statements after the October 7th attacks expressed support for Hamas's armed struggle. Publications presented included an article from October 8, 2023, where Abu Shahadeh described the events as a "historically important event militarily, politically, and strategically."

Abu Shahadeh's attorney, Hassan Jabareen, argued that his client does not support Hamas, condemns the October 7th attack, and opposes harming civilians. He acknowledged that Abu Shahadeh himself felt the article was poorly timed and worded. Abu Shahadeh also stated in court that he opposes violence and seeks peace based on justice, freedom, and equality.

Justice Alex Stein had commented during the hearing that Abu Shahadeh's article appeared to "encourage terror of the October 7th kind." However, his defense argued for alternative interpretations and questioned whether the evidence met the threshold for disqualification. Otzma Yehudit chairman Itamar Ben-Gvir opposed the court's suggestion for Abu Shahadeh to withdraw, advocating for a clear judicial ruling instead.