Israeli Election Committee Bans Arab Parties from Running

Israel's Central Election Committee voted to disqualify the Ra'am party, led by Knesset member Mansour Abbas, from participating in the upcoming 26th Knesset elections. The decision passed with 18 votes in favor and five against, with one abstention. The final ruling on the matter rests with the Supreme Court of Justice (Bagatz). Committee chairman Noam Solberg, a Supreme Court judge, supported the disqualification of Ra'am, alongside two other decisions made earlier that day.

Earlier on Wednesday, September 23, the committee also removed Balad party leader Sami Abu-Shhadeh and Knesset member Ofer Cassif, representing the Hadash party, from the election ballot. A total of 10 appeals were submitted to the committee concerning individual candidates and entire party lists. The Likud party's appeal against Cassif initiated the proceedings, with Likud's attorney arguing that any list supporting armed struggle against Israel, directly or indirectly, should be disqualified, especially during wartime.

Ofer Cassif denounced the Likud's appeal as "fascist" and an attempt to eliminate Arab representation and any alternative political voice. He stated that his criticism of alleged war crimes in Gaza and the October 7th attacks was made on the same day the Prime Minister remained silent. Cassif asserted that suppressing dissent against government policy was a distortion of reality and democracy, arguing that protesting crimes committed in the state's name serves its best interests.

Sami Abu-Shhadeh faced an appeal from the Otzma Yehudit party. Itamar Ben-Gvir presented Abu-Shhadeh as a supporter of Hamas, citing an October 8, 2023, post where Abu-Shhadeh described the events as a "significant historical event." Abu-Shhadeh explained that at the time of writing, the full scale of the tragedy was unknown, and he later retracted the post, admitting it should not have been written. He condemned the October 7th atrocities and denied ever supporting terror.

Committee Chairman Noam Solberg, breaking tradition by voting, supported Abu-Shhadeh's disqualification, stating he found no arguments in his favor. This marked the first time a committee chairman had voted in such a capacity since 2003. Appeals were also filed against the Otzma Yehudit, Democrats, Religious Zionism, and United Arab List parties. Election law permits disqualification for denying Israel's existence as a Jewish and democratic state, inciting racism, or supporting armed conflict against Israel.