High Court urges Balad chairman to drop out of elections or face disqualification
On October 1 Supreme Court President Isaac Amit told Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh that a majority of a nine-justice panel would uphold the Central Elections Committee’s decision to bar him from the October 27 election, and recommended that he withdraw. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara backed the disqualification over an article he published on October 8, 2023, which she said expressed support for armed struggle against Israel; the committee’s chair, Justice Noam Sohlberg, also supported it. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, whose party filed the petition, argued in court wearing a lawyer’s robe and called the recommendation too lenient. The panel was also hearing the disqualifications of Hadash MK Ofer Cassif, Ra’am and the Joint List. Abu Shehadeh denies supporting violence or terrorism.