Arab-Israeli politician withdraws from October election

JERUSALEM: Arab-Israeli politician and Balad party leader Sami Abu Shehadeh has withdrawn his candidacy for Israel’s October 27 parliamentary election after the Supreme Court indicated that a majority of judges supported his disqualification.

The decision followed a tense hearing on Thursday, when an expanded nine-judge panel considered Abu Shehadeh’s appeal against a Central Elections Committee decision barring him from the election. Supreme Court President Isaac Amit told the politician that there was a majority in favour of upholding the disqualification and recommended that he withdraw from the race.

Balad said Abu Shehadeh’s withdrawal did not mark the end of his political career or the party’s campaign. He will remain leader of Balad, according to the party.

The Central Elections Committee had voted to disqualify him over comments in an article published after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack. Israeli authorities argued that the remarks could amount to support for armed struggle against Israel. Abu Shehadeh has denied supporting the attack or armed struggle and, according to reports from the court hearing, expressed regret over the article.

The issue is linked to Section 7A of Israel’s Basic Law: The Knesset. Under the law, a candidate or electoral list can be barred for denying Israel’s existence as a Jewish and democratic state, inciting racism or supporting an armed struggle by an enemy state or terrorist organisation against Israel. A Central Elections Committee decision to bar an individual candidate requires Supreme Court approval.

The case has also drawn criticism from Adalah, an Israeli rights organisation representing Abu Shehadeh. The group said the court’s position effectively forced him out of the election and argued that the decision would affect political representation for Palestinian citizens of Israel.

The dispute comes as several Arab political lists face legal challenges ahead of the election. The Supreme Court is also considering appeals involving other Arab parties and candidates, including the Joint List and Ra’am.

Arab citizens make up about 21.4% of Israel’s population, according to Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics’ latest annual figures.

Abu Shehadeh previously served in the Knesset from 2019 to 2022. His withdrawal now removes him personally from the October 27 contest, while leaving Balad’s wider political campaign and legal challenges ongoing.