Sami Abu Shehadeh, leader of the Palestinian nationalist Balad party, withdrew from Israel's October 27 parliamentary election after the Supreme Court indicated most of its judges would uphold his disqualification over an article calling Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack an "important historical event". He remains party leader, while the rights group Adalah says he was effectively forced out, calling it a severe blow to Palestinian citizens' right to stand for office. The case matters because Arab parties, which represent roughly 20 per cent of Israel's population, could be kingmakers in a tight race, and the elections committee has also barred the United Arab List and the Joint List, whose appeals the court was still hearing.