Former MK Ben-Ari Claims Disparate Treatment by Supreme Court

The controversy surrounding the disqualification and withdrawal of Balad party leader Sami Abu Shehadeh from the Knesset elections continues to draw strong reactions from the right. Historian and former Knesset member Dr. Michael Ben-Ari, a founder of Otzma Yehudit, spoke on Sunday about the Supreme Court proceedings concerning Abu Shehadeh. Ben-Ari sharply criticized the judges, alleging unequal and discriminatory treatment compared to the hearing held for his own disqualification.

The Supreme Court hearing addressed a petition to disqualify Abu Shehadeh due to articles he published after the October 7th massacre. During the session, Supreme Court President Yitzhak Amit indicated that a majority of justices favored disqualifying Abu Shehadeh and recommended he withdraw his candidacy voluntarily to avoid a reasoned ruling. Hours later, Abu Shehadeh heeded the recommendation and announced his withdrawal from the Knesset race.

Ben-Ari, who was himself disqualified by the Supreme Court from running in the 21st Knesset elections in 2019, drew parallels between the cases. Recounting his personal experience, he stated, "With me, there wasn't a moment of listening, not to my lawyer nor when I begged to speak for two minutes. Only screams, shouts, 'Here Ben-Ari's mask has been removed' and all sorts of harsh things, a disproportionate attack. There's no other way to put it, a lynching atmosphere."

Ben-Ari contrasted this with the treatment Abu Shehadeh received, describing it as "kid gloves, such calm." He asserted that the court would have approved Abu Shehadeh's candidacy without the public pressure. Ben-Ari suggested that Justice Amit's recommendation for withdrawal was intended to prevent a critical court ruling, stating that a ruling against Abu Shehadeh would imply that "Israeli Arabs want to destroy us." He concluded that the court, to avoid confronting this reality, advised Abu Shehadeh to withdraw.