Shin Bet, police arrest senior Balad activist Abd Abu Shahada over suspected security violations
Sami Abu Shehadeh, chairman of the Arab Balad party, condemned the incident as a "grave crime," alleging it to be part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's attempts to hijack the elections.
On Wednesday, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and Israel Police apprehended senior Balad activist Abd Abu Shahada in Jaffa under suspicion of security violations. Balad party leader Sami Abu Shehadeh denounced the act as a "grave crime" on X/Twitter, suggesting it was part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's strategy to manipulate the upcoming elections.
Netanyahu and Shin Bet Director David Zini are reportedly intensifying their attempts to secure the election, according to Shehadeh. Earlier, police and the Shin Bet forcibly took Shahada from his residence, refusing to present an arrest warrant, seizing personal property without providing an inventory, and remaining silent about his current location.
Shehadeh alleged that Netanyahu and Zini are orchestrating a series of arrests, interrogations, and intimidation tactics against political activists, aiming to sway the election results via the misuse of law enforcement agencies. The arrest is part of a wider crackdown on political dissent, intended to influence the election outcome, Shehadeh argued.
He emphasized that Netanyahu lost the election due to the substantial turnout of Arab citizens, who voted to oust him. The forced removal of its own citizens by the state constitutes a severe offense, Shehadeh contended, but vowed that the community would not be deterred from their fight for a society and state built on freedom, justice, and equality. This report remains a developing story. Hodaya Ran contributed to this account.
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