Political Advisor Arrested in Jaffa Linked to Balad Party Funding Probe

Israeli police and the Shin Bet security agency arrested political advisor and social activist Abd Abu Shihadah overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday. Abu Shihadah, who recently worked for Qatar's Al Jazeera network and is a relative of Balad party head Sami Abu Shihadah, is suspected of contact with a foreign agent. His lawyers claim his arrest is linked to a recent interview he conducted in Qatar with former Knesset member Azmi Bishara, a founder of Balad, who was previously suspected of aiding Hezbollah. The defense argues the interview was part of Abu Shihadah's journalistic work and contained no criminal statements.

A Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court extended Abu Shihadah's detention by five days, acknowledging the sensitive and early stages of the security investigation and the risk of his flight. Police sought an eight-day extension, citing sensitive security matters and eight essential investigative actions at risk of disruption. During a search of his home, a computer and digital wallet were seized.

The court rejected a gag order request, with Judge Shelly Cotin stating that open court proceedings would not harm national security. A dispute arose over Abu Shihadah's profession, with police initially calling him a journalist but later clarifying he is a political advisor. His lawyers asserted he has been involved in journalism for six years and that the interview with Bishara was for the "Arab 48" website.

Abu Shihadah's name previously surfaced in connection with the Balad party and Qatari funding affair, where party leaders were convicted in 2021. While his name was mentioned, he was not a suspect in that case. The affair involved allegations of Balad activists bringing millions of shekels from Qatar and Azmi Bishara into Israel via the Jordan border crossing, allegedly to launder the funds through sham rental agreements for party headquarters. Sami Abu Shihadah reportedly cashed checks for 5,000 shekels intended for landlords, with the money disappearing.

Despite the defense's arguments about freedom of expression and the lack of a special permit for investigating journalists, Judge Cotin found sufficient grounds for suspicion and ordered the detention extended until Sunday. Former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit had previously decided there was insufficient evidence to prove the Qatari origin of the funds or link individuals to security offenses, leading to charges of fraud and forgery in the Balad case.