Levy Says Israeli Supreme Court Has Turned Arab Political Thought Into a Crime

Gideon Levy has sharply criticised the Israeli Supreme Court majority’s inclination to support excluding Palestinian politician Sami Abu Shehadeh from parliamentary elections scheduled in Israel this month.

The court majority’s stance prompted Abu Shehadeh to withdraw his candidacy, according to the account outlined by Levy.

Levy argued that the court’s approach amounted to treating Arab political thought as a crime. His criticism framed the issue as more than a dispute over one politician’s eligibility to stand for election.

At the heart of his argument was the space afforded to Arab political participation in Israel. By linking Abu Shehadeh’s withdrawal to the court majority’s position, Levy challenged the judiciary’s role in setting the boundaries of that participation.