Controversial Professor Declares Vote for Arab Party, Citing 'Least Harm'

Controversial professor Amir Hetsroni announced his intention to vote for the Joint Arab List in the upcoming elections, sparking widespread social media debate. Hetsroni stated on social media platform X that while the party did not offer him a campaign role, no Zionist party had offered him more. He justified his decision as choosing the "lesser evil" and supporting a minority party that would cause the "least damage" and was least likely to support "unnecessary war."

Hetsroni anticipated backlash, referencing a past violent incident where he was attacked with a chair on live broadcast. He suggested that those who would condemn his vote might hate him simply for being Jewish, comparing it to the hatred he felt from his attacker. He concluded his statement by asserting he had received nothing good from Zionists and it was "time to vote for the enemy."

This is not the first time Hetsroni has generated controversy with his political stances. In the previous Knesset elections in November 2022, he posted a picture of his ballot for the Hadash-Ta'al list, offering a similar explanation of choosing the "lesser evil." Previously, he attempted to join the Labor Party, intending to support Amir Peretz and later replace chairman Avi Gabbay. However, the party's management blocked his membership due to his "racist statements."

Further illustrating his unconventional political actions, Hetsroni previously voted "holding his nose" for Ehud Barak during the direct prime ministerial elections in the late 1990s. In the 2018 Haifa municipal elections, he released a video urging residents to vote for Einat Kalisch Rotem, stating his aim was to "disrupt the local political status quo."