Israel’s Supreme Court overturns election panel ban on Arab parties
Summary
Israel’s Supreme Court reversed a decision by the election panel that banned two main Arab parties from running in the upcoming parliamentary elections. The court also reinstated a Jewish member of the Knesset from an Arab-Jewish party but allowed the withdrawal of another Arab party leader who faced disqualification.Key Facts
- The ban was on Ra’am (United Arab List) and the Joint List, two Arab-majority political groups.
- The Supreme Court ruled unanimously to overturn the Central Elections Committee’s ban just before the October 27 elections.
- Palestinian citizens of Israel, about 20% of the population, remain able to vote for these Arab parties.
- Ofer Cassif, a Jewish member of the Arab-Jewish Hadash party, was reinstated by a 7-2 court vote; two justices dissented citing his alleged support for armed struggle.
- Sami Abu Shehadeh, leader of the Balad party, withdrew from the elections after the court indicated he would be disqualified.
- Abu Shehadeh had described the October 7 Hamas attack as a “historical event” but denies supporting it.
- Critics accused the election panel of applying double standards by trying to exclude Arab parties while allowing far-right parties to run.
- Ra’am made history in 2021 by joining an Israeli government coalition and is now fielding a Jewish Zionist candidate, Yoav Segalovitz.
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