Supreme Court to Hear Appeals on Disqualification of Arab Parties and Candidates

The Israeli Supreme Court is set to hear appeals today, Thursday, regarding the disqualification of the Joint List, Ra'am party, and two of their representatives, Sami Abu Shehadeh and Ofer Cassif, from participating in the upcoming elections. The Central Elections Committee had previously ruled to disqualify them, a decision now under review by an expanded panel of nine Supreme Court justices.

The hearings will commence with Abu Shehadeh at 10:00 AM, followed by Cassif at 11:30 AM. Discussions concerning the Joint List are scheduled for 2:00 PM, and Ra'am at 3:30 PM. The court is mandated to issue its final decision by Sunday, October 4th, 23 days before the election.

The primary grounds for Abu Shehadeh's disqualification stem from an article he published in October 2023, which the Attorney General's office argues provided justification for the October 7th Hamas attack. Abu Shehadeh maintains his words were misinterpreted and that he does not support armed conflict. Cassif faces disqualification requests due to his support for South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and his calls for sanctions against settlements. He contends these actions are critiques of government policy, not support for armed struggle.

The Joint List's disqualification is largely based on the platform of its constituent party, Balad, which includes proposals to abolish the Nation-State Law and establish a democratic, egalitarian state. Ra'am's disqualification is linked to alleged connections between the party and NGOs that proponents claim have aided terrorist organizations. Both the Joint List and Ra'am deny these allegations, arguing that the claims are old, unsubstantiated, or misinterpretations of their activities.

Ahead of the hearings, the Joint List's chairman appealed to the Inter-Parliamentary Union for international intervention. Abu Shehadeh and Cassif, along with legal representatives from the Adalah Center, will hold a joint press conference. Supporters of the Joint List plan a rally under the slogan 'You Will Not Disqualify the Arab Voice.' Protests are expected outside the Supreme Court, with opposing groups demonstrating for and against the disqualifications.