Sep. 30 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Arab-Israeli Balad party could boycott the November elections after learning of its disqualification from the elections instead of appealing this decision, as has happened on previous occasions.
Balad’s request for disqualification, finally approved on Thursday by the Central Election Committee, was based on the program of a party that, according to its platform, rejected the existence of Israel “as a Jewish and democratic state” to ask instead for a state for “all citizens”.
Balad’s leader, Sami Abu Shehadeh, has confirmed to the Israeli network Kan that the formation could definitively refrain from participating in the elections and give up the traditional appeal mechanism to which it has successfully resorted in similar situations in the past.
“We will meet this afternoon to discuss the issue and its various components and then come to a decision,” Shehadeh said, before confirming that some members of his party would rather boycott the election than appeal the decision.
My position as leader of the party is that we need to participate in the elections,” Shehadeh said, however, aware that the polls show that her party may not reach the percentage of votes necessary to win seats in the Knesset. However, if it does , could end up being an important element in any negotiations for a future government coalition.
The Balad leader insisted that his electoral program values democracy more than Judaism in Israel.
“The State of Israel has chosen to be Jewish for the Arab-Palestinian public and democratic for the Jewish public. I want it to be democratic for everyone, that is why I am fighting,” he said. “I realize that I am suggesting a challenging alternative. That is why Balad exists,” she concluded.
