Arab Party Leader Slams Yair Golan Over Disqualification Bid Support

Joint List Chairman Yousef Jabareen fiercely attacked Democratic Party Chairman Yair Golan on Wednesday, accusing him of joining a racist effort to disqualify Arab representatives from the political system. Jabareen stated that Golan's support for the disqualification bid against a Joint List representative was a betrayal of democratic principles and aligned his party with the far-right Otzma Yehudit and the Likud party.

"It would have been fitting for someone who calls himself a democrat to stand against the racist attempts to exclude the Arab public from the political system and defend the basic right to vote and be elected," Jabareen said. He added that Golan instead chose to join what he called Ben-Gvir's "foolish disqualification move" against the Joint List representative, making the Democrats "partners in the persecution led by Otzma Yehudit and Likud against the Arab public."

Jabareen rejected any comparison between the Joint List and those seeking disqualification, emphasizing, "There is no place to compare those who called for war crimes and crimes against humanity, those who called to destroy Gaza and the West Bank with their inhabitants, with the representatives of the Joint List, who unequivocally support the values of democracy, peace, and equality."

Jabareen directly addressed Golan and his party, stating, "He who seeks the votes of the Arab public cannot support the denial of his right to political representation. Golan's support for this move calls into question the meaning of the name 'Democrats': democracy for Jews only is not democracy."

Jabareen concluded by asserting that the Joint List "will continue to fight for true democracy and full equality for all, without distinction of religion, race, or gender, and for peace between the two peoples. Without fear, without apology, and without shame."