Sami Abu Shehadeh
Role at the time: Balad chairman and former Knesset member contesting his disqualification
Condemned
Statement summary
Abu Shehadeh says approving his exclusion would damage democratic participation and argues that the court should assess his case without political pressure.
“Upholding this ban would extinguish what little democratic space remains.”
Open the original interview (opens in a new tab)Abu Shehadeh criticizes the campaign to exclude himAnswer to the question about whether support from the Zionist left gave the court political cover.
The New Arab's direct interview, edited for clarity and brevity.
Why we used this label
Relative to his exclusion, Abu Shehadeh expressly criticizes the ban and its consequences. His conditional wording describes a threatened outcome, not conditional support.