Ayman Odeh is an Israeli Arab lawyer and politician who formerly led Hadash. He entered the Knesset in 2015 after working in municipal politics in Haifa.
Case
Officials sought to bar the Balad leader over his October 2023 writing. His lawyers disputed the armed-struggle threshold, and Balad announced withdrawal after a Supreme Court warning.
Role at the time: Hadash Knesset member and former party leader
Statement summary
Odeh condemns the move to exclude Abu Shehadeh as part of an attack on democracy. He criticizes the court for pressing an Arab candidate to withdraw his candidacy. English translation: The disqualification of my colleague Sami Abu Shehadeh is the final step in the regime coup.
“פסילתו של חברי סמי אבו שחאדה היא הצעד הסופי בהפיכה המשטרית”
Odeh explicitly condemns Abu Shehadeh being excluded and the court request that he withdraw.
Statement dates: October 1, 2026
Statement dates: October 1, 2026
