Blow to the left: Filber reveals the effect of disqualifying Abu Shahada

Shlomo Filber, director of the research and polling institute, analyzed on Channel 14's "Weekend" program the impact of the personal disqualification of Balad chairman Sami Abu Shahada on the seat map. According to him, the right-wing bloc is stable at 62–64 seats, while the disqualification causes about 50% of Balad voters to sit on the fence, reducing the power of the Arab parties and pushing away the dream of deciding the elections. Filber refuted the assumption that voter turnout on the right is lower than on the left, noting that turnout rates in both blocs are similar and high, close to 70%. He emphasized that the only open fronts are voter turnout in the Haredi and Arab sectors. Panel member, attorney David Forer, reinforced that Abu Shahada is causing enormous damage to the Arab parties. The analysis indicates that the crisis surrounding Abu Shahada's candidacy is dismantling the left-wing bloc's hopes of relying on massive Arab mobilization.