Arab-Israeli politician withdraws from Israel election

Sami Abu Shehadeh, an Arab Israeli politician and leader of the Balad party, withdrew his candidacy for the upcoming parliamentary election on October 27 after the Israeli Supreme Court signaled its intention to bar him from participating. His withdrawal came after the Central Elections Committee disqualifed him last week at the request of the far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

Abu Shehadeh had described Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack as an "important historical event" in an article, sparking criticism. The Supreme Court convened on Thursday to hear his appeal against the disqualification, ultimately suggesting he voluntarily withdraw to avoid formal disqualification. Disqualifying candidates is uncommon in Israel, as the Supreme Court typically overturns most bans approved by the elections committee.

Adalah, an Israeli rights group representing Abu Shehadeh, accused the court of effectively disqualifying him and highlighted his decades-long commitment to human rights activism and Palestinian Palestinian representation in Israeli politics. The elections committee had previously barred two other Arab electoral lists: the United Arab List and the Joint List, an alliance of three parties including Balad.

Arab Israelis, who make up about 20% of the population, are descendants of Palestinians who remained in Israel after its establishment in 1948 and have long faced discrimination compared to the Jewish majority.