Arab Joint List Candidates May Face Disqualification, Not Entire Lists

Hassan Jabareen, director of the Adalah Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights, stated that the chances of disqualifying the United Arab List or the Joint List entirely are slim. Instead, he believes the focus of the Central Elections Committee's deliberations may shift to disqualification requests against individual candidates Sami Abu Shehadeh and Ofer Cassif.

Jabareen explained that Adalah has submitted its responses to the Elections Committee regarding the disqualification requests. He noted that legally, disqualifying entire lists differs from disqualifying individual candidates, making the candidates' statements before the committee crucial, especially if the case escalates to the Supreme Court.

"The matter will certainly reach the Supreme Court," Jabareen predicted, adding that disqualification requests are often initiated by the Likud or parts of the government coalition, which hold a majority vote on the committee. He suggested an exception might occur if religious parties unexpectedly refuse to participate in such efforts.

Jabareen further elaborated on the procedural differences, stating that Adalah represents entire lists when they face disqualification requests. However, for individual candidates, the center advises them to provide personal statements to the committee, as these statements are vital for potential appeals to the Supreme Court.

He also highlighted that the current composition of the Supreme Court, with approximately five conservative and right-wing justices, makes the legal battle more challenging. Jabareen concluded by noting that these elections, occurring after October 7th, will also determine Benjamin Netanyahu's fate.