Former MK Ben-Ari Claims Judicial Lynching in His Disqualification Case

Dr. Michael Ben-Ari, who was previously disqualified from running for the Knesset, claimed on Sunday that the Supreme Court treated his case with a "lynch atmosphere" compared to the hearing for Arab candidate Sami Abu Shehadeh. Speaking on Galei Yisrael radio, Ben-Ari alleged discriminatory treatment by the judges, stating that during his hearing, there was no opportunity for him or his lawyer to speak, only "screams, shouts, and disproportionate attacks." He contrasted this with the hearing for Abu Shehadeh, which he described as conducted with "silk gloves" and "calmness." Ben-Ari suggested that Abu Shehadeh would have been cleared had it not been for public pressure. He further asserted that if the court were to rule on Abu Shehadeh's disqualification, it would be an admission that Arab citizens of Israel seek to destroy the country, and that the court's decision to allow other Arab lists to run, while signaling Abu Shehadeh to withdraw, was an attempt to avoid confronting this reality. The judges had indicated to Abu Shehadeh that he should withdraw from the Knesset race, or they would be forced to disqualify him. Hours later, Abu Shehadeh announced his withdrawal from the race, and the Supreme Court approved all other Arab lists.