Jerusalem, 4 November, 2026 (TPS-IL) — The Shin Bet and Israel Police arrested senior Balad activist Abd Abu Shahadeh at his Jaffa home early Wednesday on suspicion of security offenses.
Balad is an Israeli-Arab political party advocating for the transformation of Israel into a binational democracy for all citizens, while emphasizing Palestinian national identity.
Abu Shahadeh is considered close to Balad chairman Sami Abu Shahadeh. He recently spent time in Doha, Qatar, working as a journalist and political commentator for Al Jazeera, covering Israel’s elections. He also interviewed Balad founder Azmi Bishara.
The arrest comes days after Israel’s national elections, amid separate security investigations into suspected foreign interference and alleged irregularities in Arab communities. However, authorities have not confirmed any connection between Abu Shahadeh’s arrest and the election-related investigations.
