Ben Gvir demands from the High Court: Publish a reasoned ruling regarding Sami Abu Shahada

Otzma Yehudit chairman Itamar Ben Gvir demands that the High Court of Justice publish a reasoned ruling regarding Sami Abu Shahada, after Abu Shahada withdrew his candidacy for the 26th Knesset following a hint from the panel of nine Supreme Court justices that there is a majority to disqualify him. Ben Gvir argues that this is a fundamental issue concerning the threshold of proof for disqualifying candidates.

Otzma Yehudit party chairman, Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, demands that the Supreme Court publish a reasoned ruling regarding Sami Abu Shahada, former head of the Balad party. This comes after Abu Shahada withdrew his candidacy from the third spot on the Joint List for the 26th Knesset. The withdrawal followed a Supreme Court hearing, where a panel of nine justices led by President Yitzhak Amit hinted that there is a majority to approve his disqualification. The justices offered Abu Shahada a dramatic proposal: to withdraw from the race and thereby avoid a ruling that would ban him from running. Concurrently, the Supreme Court approved the candidacies of MK Ofer Cassif, Ra'am, and the Joint List. Balad stated that the decision to withdraw the candidacy was made out of political responsibility towards the party and the public. Ben Gvir claims that the issue is fundamental and concerns the threshold of proof required for disqualifying candidates.