Defense Minister Criticizes Supreme Court Over Politician's Disqualification

Defense Minister Israel Katz criticized the Supreme Court on Sunday for not disqualifying former Knesset member Sami Abu Shahadeh, instead waiting for him to resign. Katz argued that the court should have issued a precedent-setting ruling to disqualify Abu Shahadeh, citing a 2003 amendment to the Basic Law: Knesset. This amendment, which Katz claims he championed as an opposition member against Ehud Barak's government, bars individuals or factions supporting terrorism or armed struggle against Israel from running for the Knesset.

Katz recalled past attempts to disqualify the Balad party and Azmi Bishara, noting that the Supreme Court did not disqualify Bishara in 2003, allowing Balad to compete in elections. He asserted that Balad remains the same party and, lamentably, the Supreme Court is also the same, suggesting the court waited for Abu Shahadeh's self-imposed resignation to avoid impacting the left-wing bloc in elections.

"Balad is the same Balad and unfortunately the Supreme Court is the same Supreme Court," Katz stated, adding that the court waited until a "traitor like Shahadeh" resigned on his own rather than issuing a decisive ruling. He implied this inaction was to protect the political left during election periods.