Israel's Shin Bet arrests activist amid incitement over Palestinian electoral gains

Abu Shahadeh's detention comes amid accusations that Netanyahu’s government is seeking to undermine election results following a strong turnout among Palestinian citizens of Israel Abu Shahadeh, a Palestinian citizen of Israel, was arrested by masked officers who stormed his house at midnight (Provided) Published date: 4 November 2026 08:40 GMT | Last update: 3 sec ago Israeli security forces arrested prominent Palestinian political activist and journalist Abd Abu Shahadeh on Tuesday and took him to an undisclosed location, according to news outlet Arab48. Abu Shahadeh, a Palestinian citizen of Israel, was taken from his home in Jaffa around midnight. Around 15 security personnel, including masked officers, stormed the house, arresting Abu Shahadeh in front of his two children. They also seized electronic devices and several books. The forces refused to disclose the reasons for his arrest or reveal which authority had taken him away. Police later confirmed that the case was under investigation by the Tel Aviv Central Unit and Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic intelligence agency. A court subsequently issued a publication ban, citing a “security-related investigation”. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The arrest comes amid a wave of incitement against Palestinian citizens of Israel following their record voter turnout and electoral gains in last week’s elections. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party claimed the elections had been “stolen” by Palestinian parties, citing allegations of minor electoral fraud. Opposition figures have accused Likud of attempting to undermine the election results by exaggerating the allegations. Palestinian-led parties denied the allegations. Israel’s Central Elections Committee certified the election results on Wednesday, saying it had found no evidence of irregularities that undermined the integrity of the election or affected the outcome. Despite this, Shin Bet chief David Zini, an ally of Netanyahu, was seeking to question the leaders of Palestinian-led parties under caution. Those targeted included United Arab List leader Mahmoud Abbas, Ta’al leader Ahmed Tibi and Balad leader Sami Abu Shehadeh. According to Haaretz, this was despite police and prosecutors having yet to see evidence supporting the allegations of electoral fraud involving the Palestinian vote. Attempt to 'steal' elections Sami Abu Shehadeh said on Wednesday that Abd Abu Shahadeh’s arrest formed part of an effort by Netanyahu and Zini to “steal the elections”. “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,” the politician said. “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.” He described the “abduction” as a serious crime but said it would not deter Palestinian citizens. “we will not be intimidated, and we will not let them steal the election,” he added. Abd Abu Shahadeh heads the elected Islamic Council in Jaffa and is a member of the editorial board of the Arab 48 news website. He is also a regular contributor to Middle East Eye’s opinion section. Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.