Yisrael Beytenu announced that it will support the disqualification of the Joint List, Ra’am (United Arab List), MK Ofer Cassif (Joint List), and Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh as part of the proceedings on the disqualification of electoral lists and candidates.
"Any Zionist government formed after the elections must define the elimination of Hamas as a central goal of its security policy," the party said ina statement.
"Any party that opposes this has no place in Israel’s Knesset. Therefore, we will vote in favor of disqualifying the Joint List, Ra’am, Ofer Cassif, and Sami Abu Shehadeh."
Last week, the Otzma Yehudit faction formally petitioned the Central Elections Committee to disqualify former MK Sami Abu Shehadeh from running in the upcoming Knesset elections.
Prepared by attorneys Ze’ev Wolf and David Bavli, the petition cites two grounds under Section 7A of Basic Law: The Knesset: denying Israel’s existence as a Jewish and democratic state, and supporting an armed struggle by an enemy state or terrorist organization against Israel.
The petition compiles extensive evidence, highlighting an article published by Abu Shehadeh on October 8, 2023, while Hamas terrorists were still inside Israeli territory. In the article, Abu Shehadeh characterized the attack as "an important historic event from a military, political, and strategic perspective," adding: "If small and besieged Gaza was able to do this… others can do it more effectively and simply."
The petitioners argue that "Abu Shehadeh chose to praise Hamas’s actions in the midst of a national disaster, calling on other actors to draw lessons from it and replicate the model."
Beyond the article, the petition cites several subsequent statements made by Abu Shehadeh, including his assertion that "the real battle was decided on October 7," his characterization of Gaza’s resilience as a "legendary achievement," and his reference to Hamas terrorists as "resistance fighters."
To bolster their legal case, the petitioners cite former Supreme Court President Esther Hayut, who previously ruled that legislation proposed by the Balad party constituted a denial of Israel’s core values as a Jewish state.
They also invoke former Supreme Court President Aharon Barak, who held that granting legitimacy or political backing to an armed struggle against the state provides valid grounds for disqualification. Otzma Yehudit officials maintain that the evidence meets the clear evidentiary threshold required by law, arguing that - especially after the events of October 7 - the court should not adopt an interpretation that effectively renders the disqualification clause meaningless.
In addition, dozens of bereaved families and the B'Tsalmo organization have submitted a petition to the Central Elections Committee seeking to disqualify MK Ofer Cassif of the Joint List from running in the elections for the 26th Knesset.
Adv. Eldad Rabinowitz, a member of the Central Elections Committee representing the Noam party, joined the petition and is also representing the petitioners alongside Adv. Yehuda Pua.
This is not the first time: In March 2019, the Central Elections Committee disqualified Cassif from running in the April elections. However, that decision was quickly overturned by the Supreme Court.
Days earlier, the Choosing Life Forum, which represents bereaved families and victims of terrorist attacks, filed a petition with the Central Elections Committee on Monday requesting that the Ra’am party be disqualified from running for the Knesset.
The petition, filed through attorney Yitzhak Bam, is based on new evidence compiled as part of an extensive study spanning more than 1,000 pages.
Unlike previous proceedings on the issue, the current petition relies on official findings and authoritative determinations by law enforcement and judicial authorities, including the Registrar of Associations, the National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing, the State Attorney’s Office, and the courts.