Israeli Parties Push to Disqualify Arab Lawmakers Over Terror Support
Yisrael Beytenu and Yashar! support disqualifying Arab candidates over October 7 statements, backed by the Attorney General.
The "Yisrael Beytenu" party announced on Wednesday that it will vote in favor of disqualifying the "Ra'am" party and the Joint List from running in the upcoming 26th Knesset elections, including BALAD Chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh and MK Ofer Cassif. The party argued that any Zionist government formed after the elections must set the elimination of Hamas as a central security goal, meaning any party opposing this has no place in the legislature.
Position of the "Yashar!" Party
This development follows an announcement by the "Yashar!" party, led by Gadi Eisenkot, supporting the disqualification of Sami Abu Shehadeh's candidacy. The party noted that although it is not part of the voting body, its position is that Abu Shehadeh's statements following the October 7 massacre crossed the threshold set by Basic Law: The Knesset, which prohibits supporting an armed struggle by a terror organization against Israel.
"Abu Shehadeh defined the Hamas attack as an important historic event militarily and strategically, crossing the clear legal boundary where supporting terror has no place on the way to the Knesset," the party stated.
Attorney General's Assessment
Simultaneously, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara stated that the evidentiary framework regarding Abu Shehadeh—particularly an article he published on October 8, 2023—strongly suggests he expressed support for armed struggle against Israel. State Attorney Amit Aisman concurred, noting that the Central Election Committee must carefully weigh the disqualification request.
Meanwhile, Joint List Chairman Yousef Jabareen criticized the move, calling it a capitulation to racist and anti-democratic policies that undermines the representation of Arab citizens in the political arena.
