Israeli Parties Seek to Disqualify Rivals Ahead of Elections

The Likud party announced on Tuesday that it would petition the Central Elections Committee to disqualify the Joint List and the Ra'am party from competing in the upcoming 26th Knesset elections. Likud cited the parties' alleged support for terrorism and their refusal to designate Hamas and Hezbollah as terror organizations as reasons for the disqualification request. The party also linked the move to the ongoing election campaign and efforts to form an alternative government, stating, "These supporters of terror are the natural partners of Gadi Eisenkot, with whom he wants to form a government together with Yair Golan and [Avigdor] Lieberman. This must not be allowed to happen."

The Joint List responded to Likud's move by stating, "No attempt to silence us will work. When they try to disqualify us, we will multiply and flourish."

In a separate but related development, MK Oded Forer of the Yisrael Beiteinu party submitted a request to disqualify MK Dr. Ofer Cassif. Forer's petition, based on Section 7a of the Basic Law: Knesset, alleges Cassif's ongoing support for armed struggle against Israel. The request details numerous statements and actions attributed to Cassif, including claims that he stated "there is no such thing as terror against soldiers," referred to those harming IDF soldiers as "guerrilla fighters" and "freedom fighters," and asserted Palestinians' right to use armed means against the "occupation."

Forer's petition also includes Cassif's signature on a petition supporting South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, calls for IDF soldiers to disobey orders during the war, and his refusal to label Hamas a terror organization. Forer argued that these are not isolated incidents but part of a consistent pattern. The petition highlights that the Knesset's Ethics Committee has sanctioned Cassif four times during the 25th Knesset, resulting in nearly ten months of parliamentary suspension, and has described his actions as a "systematic and consistent pattern of conduct."

Forer further contended that the evidence against Cassif is now far more substantial than in 2019, when the Supreme Court overturned a decision to disqualify him. The current request includes full interviews, direct social media posts, Knesset speeches, recordings, international actions, and official Knesset committee decisions, which Forer claims constitute the "critical mass" of evidence required for disqualification. Cassif, in response, called the disqualification attempt a "pathetic display of base politics" and accused Forer of aligning with fascists, while asserting his commitment to humanism, non-violent struggle, and opposing the occupation.