The predominantly-Arab Balad party has rejected words by the police that there is an evidentiary basis to prosecute three of it's members and other party officials on corruption charges. A party official said that "this is a dangerous escalation in the political persecution against the leadership of the Arab public, following the wild incitement of politicians against Arab parties," adding, "The police are trying to turn an administrative matter or apparent financial irregularities in the election campaign into a criminal matter in order to balance recommendations [in cases involving Prime Minister Binyamin] Netanyahu."
The official noted that no one in Balad was suspected or questioned about receiving favors or money for himself, concluding "Balad is certain that at the end of the day the suspicions will prove to be false."