Eisenkot Supported Disqualifying Sami Abu Shehadeh’s Candidacy in the Knesset Elections

Eisenkot’s Party’s Position

The party believes that Abu Shehadeh’s remarks following the mass attack on October 7 crossed the threshold established by law. In its assessment, they fall under the prohibition on supporting an armed struggle by a terrorist organization against the State of Israel.

Which Statements Served as the Basis

According to a Walla report, on October 8, 2023, Abu Shehadeh called the Hamas attack “an important historical event militarily, politically and strategically.” He also wrote that if small, besieged Gaza had managed to do this on such a scale, others could do so more effectively and easily. Eisenkot’s party argues that Abu Shehadeh’s later clarification, in which he said that he did not support the mass massacre, does not negate the original publication.

The Legal Basis and the Process

The article noted that the relevant statute is Basic Law: The Knesset, which prohibits support for an armed struggle by a terrorist organization against Israel. Requests to disqualify candidates and lists from participating in elections are considered by the Central Elections Committee, chaired by Justice Noam Sohlberg. The source does not report a final decision regarding Abu Shehadeh’s candidacy.

This Is Not the First Time

In 2022, the Yisrael Beiteinu party had already petitioned the Central Elections Committee, demanding that Balad chairman Abu Shehadeh be disqualified from participating in the elections. The outcome of that petition is not stated in the material provided. The current proceedings concern the elections for the 26th Knesset.

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