Bezalel Smotrich on Abu Shehadeh's proposed election exclusion
Bezalel SmotrichReligious Zionism leader and finance minister
Smotrich supported excluding Abu Shehadeh and criticized the court's proposal to allow withdrawal instead of issuing a disqualification ruling.
“Most of the people in Israel denounce this conduct and want to see the supporters of terror outside the Knesset and outside the State of Israel. (Translated from Hebrew. Original: רוב העם בישראל מוקיע את ההתנהלות הזאת, ורוצה לראות את תומכי הטרור מחוץ לכנסת ומחוץ למדינת ישראל.)”
Original post
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
Original post
About this source
Smotrich responded to the court's proposal that Abu Shehadeh withdraw rather than receive a disqualification ruling. He argued that the court should issue a ruling excluding Abu Shehadeh. He described Abu Shehadeh as a supporter of terrorism.
Before the quotation
Smotrich responded to the court's proposal that Abu Shehadeh withdraw rather than receive a disqualification ruling.
After the quotation
He argued that the court should issue a ruling excluding Abu Shehadeh. He described Abu Shehadeh as a supporter of terrorism.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Bezalel Smotrich supports Efforts to exclude Sami Abu Shehadeh from the 2026 Knesset election.
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More from this case
Read the full caseAdalah rejects the Supreme Court's indicated support for excluding Abu Shehadeh
Adalah - The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel
“There is no legal basis for this.”Read statement
Balad objects to exclusion while announcing withdrawal
Balad
“Using disqualification to restrict Arab political activity and target nationalist positions outside the Israeli consensus. (Translated from Arabic. Original: 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
“The disqualification of my colleague Sami Abu Shehadeh is the final step in the regime coup. (Translated from Hebrew. Original: פסילתו של חברי סמי אבו שחאדה היא הצעד הסופי בהפיכה המשטרית)”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Bezalel Smotrich on Abu Shehadeh's proposed election exclusion". First published: 2026-10-02. Last updated: 2026-10-07. https://disputeindex.com/events/4467-smotrich-supported-excluding-abu-shehadeh-and-criticized-the