Two Arab MKs Disqualified in Historic Vote

Alongside Cassif, Balad party chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh was disqualified by an overwhelming majority on grounds of supporting armed struggle or a terror organization against Israel, with 31 votes in favor and only 4 against. A particularly dramatic moment occurred when committee chairman Justice Noam Solberg broke with convention to vote in favor of disqualifying Abu Shehadeh at the request of MK Simcha Rothman.

Solberg noted that although he sought to maintain neutrality, in a case where the application was clear regarding support for armed struggle, he could not abstain from voting. "I will deviate from the custom of chairmen to maintain neutrality. I found no answer that could satisfy, and therefore, although it is rare, I vote in favor of disqualifying Sami Abu Shehadeh. If there is a case where the application is clear, this is the case," he said.

During the hearing, Abu Shehadeh participated remotely via Zoom and addressed an article he published on October 8, 2023, in which he defined the Hamas attack as "a historic event of significance." Abu Shehadeh claimed in his defense that he wrote the words before being exposed to the full extent of the atrocities, expressed regret, and emphasized that he never called for violence or supported armed struggle against Israel.

MK Ahmad Tibi came to his defense, arguing that Abu Shehadeh worked behind the scenes to calm tensions immediately after the war broke out. In contrast, Otzma Yehudit chairman Itamar Ben-Gvir sharply attacked Abu Shehadeh, comparing his words to the Eichmann trial and mentioning the 1,163 murdered and fallen, while pressing him with direct questions about harm to soldiers and lookouts.

The representative of the Attorney General, attorney Anat Goldstein, presented the position of Gali Baharav-Miara, opposing Cassif's disqualification on the grounds that despite the harsh statements, they were insufficient to establish a legal basis for supporting a terror organization. Meanwhile, various factions such as The Democrats led by Yair Golan and Yisrael Beiteinu presented firm positions regarding the disqualification of additional candidates from both right and left.

Leading up to the hearing, a series of parties and opposition figures announced they would support the petition to disqualify Otzma Yehudit. Democrats chairman Yair Golan announced he would support the disqualification petition. According to him, the words Abu Shehadeh said the day after the October 7 attack were severe and crossed a red line.

The Yashar party led by Gadi Eisenkot also announced it supports disqualifying Sami Abu Shehadeh's candidacy. The party's statement said Abu Shehadeh's statements after the October 7 massacre crossed the threshold set in Basic Law: The Knesset, which prohibits support for armed struggle by a terror organization against the State of Israel. "One day after the massacre, when hundreds of murdered and kidnapped were already known, Abu Shehadeh defined the Hamas attack as 'a historically important event militarily, politically and strategically,'" the statement read.

Now, with the conclusion of the Central Elections Committee vote, the petitioners and candidates may appeal to the Supreme Court, which will be required to give the final word and definitively decide the fate of participation in the upcoming elections. According to legal provisions, the Central Elections Committee's decision will now be transferred to the Supreme Court for approval. Only after High Court approval will the decision take effect definitively.

The committee's full decision, including its reasoning, is expected to be published on the Central Elections Committee website. The disqualification decision comes against the backdrop of a wave of disqualification petitions submitted to the Elections Committee in recent weeks. Among the petitions filed: Otzma Yehudit against The Democrats, The Democrats against Otzma Yehudit, Likud against Ra'am and the Joint List, and additional petitions against specific candidates.