Tibi criticizes disqualifications including Abu Shehadeh
Ahmad TibiTa'al leader and Knesset member
Tibi criticizes the exclusions of Abu Shehadeh, Ofer Cassif and the Arab lists as an attack on Arab political representation. English translation: A guillotine for the Arab parties.
“مقصلة للأحزاب العربية”
Interview
Where this statement fits
The effort to disqualify Sami Abu Shehadeh from Israel's 2026 election
Israel's Central Elections Committee voted on September 23, 2026 to disqualify Balad leader Sami Abu Shehadeh from the October 27 Knesset election. The dispute centers on whether his writing about the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack meets the legal threshold for supporting armed struggle against Israel. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara supported disqualification. Abu Shehadeh and his lawyers at Adalah challenged the evidence and described the effort as an attack on Arab political representation. At an October 1 hearing, the Supreme Court indicated that a majority favored disqualification and recommended withdrawal, according to court reporting. Balad subsequently announced that its leadership had agreed to withdraw his candidacy while retaining him as party leader. We have not located a final judgment approving the disqualification or an order accepting a formal withdrawal.
Source and context
Interview
About this source
Radio al-Shams reports its own telephone interview with Tibi on its First News program. The article explicitly includes Abu Shehadeh and Cassif among the exclusions he criticizes.
Before the quotation
In a Radio al-Shams interview the day after the committee vote, Tibi discusses the exclusions of Ra'am, the Joint List, Cassif and Abu Shehadeh.
After the quotation
He expresses concern about Sohlberg participating in the vote and hopes the Supreme Court will protect the rights to vote and stand for election.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Tibi condemns the disqualifications, expressly including Abu Shehadeh, as an attack on Arab political representation.
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More from this case
Read the full caseBalad objects to exclusion while announcing withdrawal
Balad
“استخدام الشطب أداةً لتضييق مساحة العمل السياسي العربي وملاحقة المواقف الوطنية الخارجة عن الإجماع الإسرائيلي.”Read statement
Odeh condemns pressure on Abu Shehadeh to withdraw
“פסילתו של חברי סמי אבו שחאדה היא הצעד הסופי בהפיכה המשטרית”Read statement
Cassif condemns the move to exclude Abu Shehadeh
“אני מאוד מאוכזב, וכעוס על ההחלטה לגבי חברי סאמי אבו שחאדה.”Read statement
Cite this record
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- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Tibi criticizes disqualifications including Abu Shehadeh
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- https://disputeindex.com/events/4380-tibi-criticizes-the-exclusions-of-abu-shehadeh-ofer
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Tibi criticizes disqualifications including Abu Shehadeh". First published: 2026-10-01. Last updated: 2026-10-01. https://disputeindex.com/events/4380-tibi-criticizes-the-exclusions-of-abu-shehadeh-ofer