Statement on behalf of the Attorney General and the State Attorney

The Attorney General and the State Attorney to the Supreme Court:

The disqualification of Knesset candidate Sami Abu Shehadeh should be upheld due to his support for armed struggle against Israel, including during the October 7 attack, under extreme circumstances and at a time of unparalleled gravity.

The article published by Abu Shehadeh on October 8, 2023—a day after the start of the murderous terrorist attack, while it was still ongoing—reflects a position supporting the armed struggle waged by the Hamas terrorist organization against the State of Israel. Abu Shehadeh’s conduct falls squarely within the grounds for disqualification established in Basic Law: The Knesset.

The explanations Abu Shehadeh subsequently gave for the serious statements contained in the article he published on October 8, for additional evidence presented, and for his overall conduct are disingenuous and incomplete, and fail to address the central allegations raised in his case.