National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir opened the hearing on disqualifying Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh by declaring the lawmaker must leave the Knesset: 'We came here to say in simple words: Sami Abu Shehadeh — out, out of the Knesset,' he said, according to N12. 'He cannot be in the Knesset. The truth is: he must be in prison.'
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir opened Wednesday's hearing on the disqualification of Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh with an explicit call to remove the lawmaker from the Knesset, stating, "We came here to say in simple words: Sami Abu Shehadeh — out, out of the Knesset." According to N12, Ben Gvir added: "He cannot be in the Knesset. The truth is: he must be in prison."
The hearing, which began earlier today, follows a string of developments in the disqualification effort. At 12:42 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that Abu Shehadeh joined the committee session remotely via Zoom. The petition, filed by Otzma Yehudit and Ben Gvir, targets Abu Shehadeh's public statements after the October 7, 2023, massacre.
On Tuesday, September 22, at 13:46 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that MK Gadi Eisenkot and his Yashar party announced support for disqualifying Abu Shehadeh, citing his October 8, 2023, remarks as grounds that "cannot be erased with a clarification post." Earlier, on September 18, Abu Shehadeh told the Central Elections Committee that his October 8 article was mistranslated and denied praising Hamas. The Zioneer also covered activist Yaara Zered's condemnation of Abu Shehadeh on September 16.
The disqualification process is moving toward a vote by the committee; the outcome remains pending. The Central Elections Committee has yet to render a decision on the petition.
3 developments
- StrongBen Gvir: Abu Shehadeh resignation fulfills promise, laments court forgoing disqualification
- DevelopingElections Committee disqualifies Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh from Knesset run
- StrongLiberman responds to Balad chairman Abu Shehadeh's resignation
- StrongYaara Zered says Balad chairman's Oct 7 praise disqualifies him from Knesset
Source and signal
- Open-source intake