Ra'am Candidate: Sami Abu Shehadeh Crossed the Line and Should Be Disqualified
Ra'am candidate Yoav Segalovitch stated that Balad Chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh crossed the line and should not run in the upcoming 26th Knesset elections.
Yoav Segalovitch, a candidate for the Ra'am party, addressed the disqualification of Balad Chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh, stating that, in his view, Abu Shehadeh crossed the line and should not run in the upcoming elections.
In a podcast interview with Nadav Perry, Segalovitch said: "Based on existing rulings, Abu Shehadeh crossed the line, and I think he knows it too when he says 'I would have done things differently'."
Reservations Regarding Disqualifications
However, Segalovitch expressed principled reservations about the disqualification process itself: "On a matter of principle—I do not like these disqualifications. It should go straight to the Supreme Court." Nevertheless, he subsequently concluded: "Based on what he said, he should not run in the upcoming elections."
Last week, the Central Election Committee disqualified Abu Shehadeh's candidacy for the 26th Knesset by a majority of 30 supporters to four opponents on two grounds: negating the existence of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, and supporting armed struggle by an enemy state or terrorist organization against Israel. The decision and its reasoning have been submitted to the Supreme Court for a final ruling.
The Controversial Article
The disqualification stems from an article published by Abu Shehadeh on October 8, 2023, addressing the October 7 attacks. Before the committee, he stated that "I should not have written" the article and that he condemns the October 7 assault and the killings carried out during it.
"Based on existing rulings, Abu Shehadeh crossed the line, and I think he knows it too." — Yoav Segalovitch
Earlier, the Attorney General determined that the article constitutes "heavy, clear, and significant evidence" of support for armed struggle, though noting that disqualifying a candidate requires a foundation of clear and unequivocal evidence for repeated, systematic, and consistent activity, thus leaving the final decision to the Election Committee.
Segalovitch's remarks join a series of political figures who supported Abu Shehadeh's disqualification, including Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and, from the other side of the political map, Gadi Eisenkot.
