🗳️ Bloc leaders to meet at Lapid’s home: With elections estimated to be approximately 35 days away, Lapid will host Bennett, Eisenkot, Lieberman, and Golan on Saturday night. Lieberman and Eisenkot are also scheduled to meet this evening.
Eisenkot told 103FM that, contrary to the impression conveyed in the media, party leaders remain in regular contact and their representatives meet weekly. He said they share a goal and that he expected a joint meeting soon.
⚖️ Attorney General leaves Abu Shehadeh’s disqualification open: The Attorney General and State Attorney told the Central Elections Committee there is no legal basis for disqualifying Religious Zionism, Zehut, the Democrats, Ra’am, Otzma Yehudit, the Joint List, Balad, or MK Ofer Cassif.
They distinguished Abu Shehadeh’s case, saying the evidence, particularly his October 8, 2023 article, appears prima facie to indicate support for the armed struggle of a terrorist organization against Israel.
They said his written response “does not sufficiently establish that his article did not reflect an expression of support for armed struggle against Israel, at a time that could not have been more grave.”
They urged the committee to give serious consideration to disqualification under the applicable legal standards and in light of his arguments before it.
Journalist Avishai Grinzaig said that, to his knowledge, this was the first time an Attorney General had not given a clear opinion on whether a Knesset candidate should be disqualified. Citing the formulation “The Central Elections Committee should give serious consideration to the request for disqualification.” he questioned whether it constituted a substantive legal position.
Amit Segal, who forwarded Grinzaig’s commentary, separately criticized the Attorney General for avoiding a clear position.
Gantz announced plans to vote in favor of disqualifying Abu Shehadeh, Balad, and Ofer Cassif. Eisenkot also supports disqualifying Abu Shehadeh, although he has no representation on the committee.
🔹 Segal challenges Abu Shehadeh’s explanation: Segal disputed Abu Shehadeh’s claim that he had not understood the scale of the massacre on October 8 and therefore did not condemn it. He also criticized what he described as Abu Shehadeh’s enthusiasm about its consequences.
He cited an October 9, 2023 interview that Abu Shehadeh himself submitted as evidence against disqualification. Segal described his response as dismissive when asked about the massacre preventing normalization with Saudi Arabia that would also include concessions for Palestinians.
Abu Shehadeh described the massacre as “a law of physics—pressure leads to an explosion.” He added: “Anyone who regards Palestinians as human beings must be amazed by their patience in the face of all the humiliations.”
Segal argued that these remarks portrayed Palestinians as having shown patience by waiting so long before the massacre.
⚖️ Sohlberg approves Abu Shehadeh’s participation by Zoom: Abu Shehadeh’s hospitalization had raised the possibility of a one-day postponement of his disqualification hearing. Justice Sohlberg has granted his request to participate by Zoom in tomorrow’s hearing.
Responding to the possible postponement, Otzma Yehudit said: “Minister Ben-Gvir believes that Abu Shehadeh is scared stiff and is therefore seeking to postpone the hearing. In any event, for the avoidance of doubt and given the importance of the hearing, if necessary, we will request that he be questioned and that the proceedings be held even at the hospital. Abu Shehadeh knows that these are the last days in which the judge can hear cases, and he isn’t playing games for no reason.”
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