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Balad

From left: Balad chairman Sami Abou Shehadeh, MK Ahmad Tibi and MK Ofer Cassif arrive at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem for a hearing on the Central Elections Committee’s decision to disqualify candidates and parties from running in the upcoming Knesset elections, October 1, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
October 2, 2026, 5:47 pm
Supreme Court unanimously overturns election panel’s ban on Arab parties
After rejecting Balad chief, judges say Ra’am, Joint List, its MK Ofer Cassif don’t meet criteria on racist incitement, support for armed conflict against Israel to warrant ban
By Jeremy Sharon and Noam Lehmann
Balad party head Sami Abou Shahadeh gestures in a video statement published on October 2, 2026. (Screen capture: Facebook/Sami Abou Shahadeh)
October 2, 2026, 12:45 pm
Balad party leader: Leaving campaign was ‘most difficult decision of my political career’
After Sami Abou Shahadeh withdraws from election race, Eisenkot offers mock condolences to Likud for loss of ‘true partner’; High Court was about to enforce ban on Arab party head due to his article seen as backing Oct. 7 attack
By ToI Staff
A hearing at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem on the Central Elections Committee’s decision to disqualify Arab parties and candidates from running in the upcoming elections, October 1, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
October 1, 2026, 5:47 pm
High Court urges Balad chairman to drop out of elections or face disqualification
Justices tell Sami Abu Shehadeh that majority support upholding his ban by Central Elections Committee; Ben Gvir, who sought disqualification, ally MK Gotliv, personally argue case in court
By Ariela Karmel and ToI Staff
Yousef Jabareen submit the Joint List slate to the Central Elections Committee at the Knesset in Jerusalem, September 8, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
September 28, 2026, 6:00 am
The ban on Arab parties will likely be reversed. To its critics, that isn’t exactly a relief
Often, the most extreme measures — like banning Arab-led parties from the election — get tossed, but their impact can live on
By Ben Sales
Balad chair Sami Abou Shehadeh appears on a screen behind the Central Elections Committee during a disqualification hearing at the Knesset in Jerusalem, September 23, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
September 23, 2026, 4:29 pm
Election panel disqualifies all Arab parties, in move likely to be overturned; Balad leader also barred
High Court expected to nix bans on Ra’am, Joint List after politicians cite alleged support for terror, denial of Israel as Jewish state; Sohlberg, AG, all opposition parties back disqualification of Balad’s Abou Shahadeh in rare consensus
By Ariela Karmel
Leaders of the Arab parties celebrate after signing an agreement to work towards a Joint List in Sakhnin, January 22, 2026. (Courtesy of Hadash-Ta'al)
May 25, 2026, 12:40 am
Arab parties urge Ra’am to join efforts to revive Joint List; Ra’am tepidly agrees
Hadash, Ta’al, Balad seek unity due to ‘existential dangers’ to Arab public and despite ‘significant gaps’ with Islamist party, which says it must retain its freedom of action
By ToI Staff
MK Mansour Abbas at the Knesset on November 19, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
January 27, 2026, 8:37 am
As Arab parties answer call for unity, Ra’am seeks to retain role as coalition kingmaker
Factions look to reunify as ‘Joint List’ so as to pool power for community wracked by deadly crime, but Islamist party wants to keep its plans to expand its base and return to government
By Tal Schneider
A man walks by an election campaign billboard showing Sami Abu Shehadeh, head of the nationalist Balad party, in the northern Israeli city of Umm al-Fahm, October 21, 2022. (AP/Mahmoud Illean)
November 7, 2022, 5:07 am
Balad’s solo run showed what may be possible, but it came up fatally short this time
Turnout was still down from the Joint List unity years, but the results of the election suggest that staying together for the votes may no longer be necessary for Arab parties
By Jack Mukand
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