Solberg Refused to Postpone the Hearing on the Disqualification of Abu Shehadeh

The Request Due to Hospitalization

Sami Abu Shehadeh was hospitalized in the trauma department at Rambam Hospital after being injured. He asked to postpone the hearing from September 23, 2026, to Thursday morning because he expected to be discharged only in the afternoon of September 23. Alternatively, Abu Shehadeh asked to be allowed to participate by video call.

Decision of the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee

Noam Solberg refused to change the date: the hearing will take place on September 23, 2026, as scheduled. However, he permitted Abu Shehadeh to participate via Zoom. The decision was justified by the tight timetable and the need to submit to the government the legal committee’s summary document on the question of the “special grounds” under Section 5 of the Knesset Law.

Why Disqualification Was Requested

The Otzma Yehudit party initiated the proceeding against Abu Shehadeh. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and the State Attorney noted that the evidentiary basis—first and foremost, an article published on October 8, 2023—prima facie indicates support for an armed struggle by a terrorist organization against Israel. In their assessment, Abu Shehadeh’s response to the disqualification request did not dispel those doubts, and therefore the Central Elections Committee should seriously consider the request.

No Final Decision Has Yet Been Made

Solberg’s decision concerns only the date of the hearing and the manner of participation in it, not Abu Shehadeh’s right to run in the elections. The material presented did not state how the hearing on the request to disqualify him concluded. It also stated that the Attorney General and the State Attorney found no legal grounds for disqualifying several other parties and candidates.

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