Israel election double standard: Arab leader forced out, far right cleared

A prominent Palestinian Israeli politician has been forced to withdraw from the upcoming elections over his remarks about the Gaza war, while Israeli far-right leaders have remained untouched despite their incendiary rhetoric and calls for violence against Palestinians. The Israeli political institutions, including the electoral body, have been accused of double standards for targeting Palestinian politicians and parties in Israel. Sami Abu Shehadeh, the leader of the Balad party, withdrew his candidacy after the Supreme Court warned he could be disqualified from the race. He has described the decision to disqualify him from the upcoming elections as “a historical catastrophe for democracy”.