Shin Bet, police arrest senior Balad activist Abd Abu Shahada over suspected security offenses

The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and Israel Police arrested senior Balad activist Abd Abu Shahada in Jaffa on Wednesday over suspected security violations.

Balad party Chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh condemned the incident as a "grave crime" on X/Twitter, alleging it to be part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's attempts to hijack the elections.

"Netanyahu and [Shin Bet Chief David] Zini are escalating their efforts to steal the election," Shehadeh said. "Last night, police and the Shin Bet abducted journalist Abd Abu Shahada from his home."

"The forces refused to present an arrest warrant, seized belongings without providing an inventory, and continue to withhold any information about his whereabouts."

"Abd’s arrest is part of a broader campaign of arrests, interrogations and threats against political activists, designed to undermine the election results through the weaponization of the police and the Shin Bet," Shehadeh wrote. "None of this will change one simple fact: Netanyahu lost the election, thanks to Arab citizens who turned out in massive numbers and kicked him out.

The state’s abduction of its own citizens is a grave crime. But we will not be intimidated, and we will not let them steal the election. The crimes committed by the police and the Shin Bet in Netanyahu’s service will not deter us from our just struggle to build a society and a state founded on freedom, justice and equality."