Arab Balad party leader forced to withdraw candidacy in Israeli elections

Sami Abu Shehadeh, leader of the Arab Balad party, was forced to withdraw his candidacy in the upcoming Israeli elections, as Al Jazeera reports. This decision has had a great impact on the Palestinian community in Israel.

The Israeli Central Elections Committee had requested that Abu Shehadeh be disqualified from running, claiming that he supports armed struggle against Israel and that he has denied Israel’s existence as a Jewish and democratic state.

Abu Shehadeh has been an outspoken critic of Israeli policies towards Palestinians and Israeli military actions in Gaza, and has long advocated for equal rights for the Arab minority in Israel.