Likud Seeks to Disqualify Joint List and MK Ofer Cassif from Knesset Elections

The Likud party has submitted a request to the Central Elections Committee to disqualify the Joint List, an alliance of Arab-majority parties, and its Member of Knesset Ofer Cassif from participating in the upcoming 26th Knesset elections. The request, filed on September 15, 2026, cites two main reasons for disqualification: alleged support for armed struggle by groups designated as terrorist organizations by Israel, and the denial of Israel's existence as a Jewish and democratic state.

The petition specifically targets the Joint List, which includes the Israeli Communist Party, Hadash, Ta'al, and the National Democratic Alliance. Alternatively, Likud seeks to prevent Cassif from running on the list. The Joint List was officially submitted on September 8, 2026, with candidates including Youssef Jabareen, Faten Ghattas, Ofer Cassif, Youssef Attawneh, Nihaya Shahi, and Iyas Nattour from Hadash; Ahmed Tibi, Ahmed Darawsheh, Haytham Zahaika, and Ghassan Arbadella from Ta'al; and Sami Abu Shehadeh, Bakr Awaida, Sabah Karkabi, Hassan Maha Al-Nasra, and Orly Noy from the National Democratic Alliance.

Likud's request argues that while the right to vote and run for office is a fundamental constitutional right, it is not absolute and can be restricted under exceptional circumstances. The party bases its claims on the stated goals of the parties, their parliamentary activities, and statements attributed to their candidates and members. New evidence cited includes a 2020 Basic Law proposal titled "A Democratic, Egalitarian, and Shared State," which allegedly proposed redefining the state as belonging to all its citizens, abolishing the Law of Return, changing state symbols, and withdrawing from all territories.

Regarding Cassif specifically, the petition details a series of positions and activities deemed grounds for his disqualification. These include referring to Israeli soldiers as "freedom fighters" when attacked, calling for the release of Marwan Barghouti, advocating for refusal and rebellion, and engaging in international activism. Cassif's support for South Africa's case at the International Court of Justice, his approach to the International Criminal Court's prosecutor, and his calls for sanctions and arrest warrants against senior Israeli officials by the British Parliament are also mentioned.

Supporting affidavits were submitted, including one from Likud faction chairman and coalition whip Ofir Katz, dated September 15, 2026, and certified by attorney Kim Furuna. Additionally, a list of signatures from members of the Central Elections Committee, including MK Simcha Rotman and MK Amit Halevi, was attached, which the petitioners claim meets the legal requirement for a disqualification request concerning Cassif. The request references past decisions by the Ethics Committee, which reportedly characterized Cassif's positions as a systematic and repeated pattern of behavior, linking some of his stances to undermining war efforts and providing moral support to adversaries. The Likud is therefore asking the Central Elections Committee to exercise its legal authority to prevent the Joint List, or Cassif individually, from participating in the elections, citing Article 7A of the Basic Law: Knesset.