"One Day": The Disqualification of Abu Shahada
The Central Elections Committee disqualified Sami Abu Shahada, chairman of Balad, from running in the upcoming elections. The Supreme Court asked him to waive his right to be elected to avoid a ruling. The episode discusses what disqualifies a person from running for the Knesset and whether the decision is legal or political.
The Central Elections Committee unanimously decided to disqualify Sami Abu Shahada, chairman of the Balad party, from running in the upcoming elections. The decision was made unanimously, including the vote of committee chairman Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, despite the tradition that the chairman refrains from voting on similar decisions. The Supreme Court, which heard the appeal, did not directly approve the disqualification but asked Abu Shahada to announce whether he waives his right to be elected, in order to avoid a ruling. The episode discusses Section 7A of the law, enacted in 1985 to disqualify Meir Kahane, and since used to disqualify candidates from the left and right. Commentators Muhammad Majadala and Prof. Adam Shinar discuss whether the decision is legal or political, which opinions disqualify a candidate, and the implications of the decision on the elections to be held in less than three weeks.