Israel’s Supreme Court advises Arab candidate to withdraw from Knesset race

Israel’s Supreme Court on Thursday advised National Democratic Assembly party leader Sami Abu Shehadeh to withdraw from the Oct. 27 Knesset election, warning that it could otherwise issue a ruling disqualifying him. The development came as the court began hearing appeals against decisions by Israel’s Central Elections Committee to disqualify Arab electoral lists and candidates from the parliamentary election. According to an Anadolu correspondent, the Supreme Court in West Jerusalem convened a nine-judge panel to hear cases involving the disqualification of Arab candidates and electoral lists. The panel heard arguments from Abu Shehadeh and his legal team, headed by Hassan Jabareen, according to the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation. Supreme Court President Yitzhak Amit told Abu Shehadeh that a majority of the judges favored disqualifying his candidacy and gave him until Friday to withdraw, according to the broadcaster. If he does not withdraw, the judges would have to issue a ruling disqualifying his candidacy, according to the report. The judges claimed that some passages in an article Abu Shehadeh wrote Oct. 8, 2023, “arouse displeasure and revulsion,” while Abu Shehadeh rejected the accusations against him. Israeli right-wing groups, including the Jewish Power party, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, cited the article for seeking Abu Shehadeh’s disqualification. Arab lawmakers and their supporters held a protest outside the court before the hearings began, the correspondent reported. Ben-Gvir arrived at the court and made remarks against the protesters. He also waved an Israeli flag in front of the demonstrators, according to an Anadolu correspondent. Ben-Gvir was accompanied by a group of far-right Israelis who chanted against Arab participation in the elections. Meanwhile, Knesset member Ofer Cassif told supporters gathered outside the court: “We will fight fascism, achieve justice, peace and a bright future for all our children, Palestinians and Israelis, Jews and Arabs.” On Sept. 23, Israel’s Central Elections Committee decided to disqualify Abu Shehadeh’s candidacy on the Joint List, along with the Joint List led by Yusuf Jabareen, the United Arab List led by Knesset member Mansour Abbas and Knesset member Ofer Cassif. Under Israeli electoral rules, the disqualification of an individual candidate requires Supreme Court approval before it can take effect. Decisions disqualifying electoral lists can also be appealed to the Supreme Court. The court has previously overturned decisions by Israel’s Central Elections Committee to disqualify Arab lists and lawmakers in past years. The Central Elections Committee includes representatives of parliamentary blocs in the outgoing Knesset, with seats distributed according to the size of each bloc’s representation, giving the governing coalition a majority on the committee. Arab citizens of Israel make up around 20% of the country’s population of more than 10 million. Opinion polls project Arab lawmakers to win 12 to 14 of the Knesset’s 120 seats in the election.