Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and State Attorney Amit Aisman submitted their response to the request to disqualify Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh's candidacy for the 26th Knesset. In their response, they wrote that "in Abu Shehadeh's case, it appears prima facie from the evidentiary foundation - and primarily from an article he published on October 8, 2023 - that he expressed support for an armed struggle by a terrorist organization against the State of Israel. Therefore, the Central Elections Committee must carefully consider the disqualification request, in accordance with legal standards and in light of Abu Shehadeh's arguments before the committee."