Rights Group Demands Probe into Voting Delays in Arab Towns

The Association for Civil Rights has urgently appealed to the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Sohlberg, to dispatch observers immediately to polling stations in Arab towns. This action follows numerous complaints of unjustified delays and long queues at many voting centers. The association noted that voting procedures are proceeding exceptionally slowly without explanation, forcing voters to wait for extended periods.

Expressing concern that these delays might be deliberate, the association fears they could prevent Arab citizens from exercising their right to vote in the current elections. Reports of these issues have come from multiple towns, including Rahat, Tel as-Sabe, Laqiya, Shqib al-Salam, Abu Talul, Umm Batin, Iksal, Jaljulia, Kafr Qara, Jisr az-Zarqa, Kafr Manda, Ar'ara, Tamra, Kafr Kanna, Tayibe, and Daburiyya.

In one instance at the Shqib al-Salam Secondary School, reports indicated a large police presence at the entrance, allegedly preventing voters from entering under the guise of managing crowds, despite few voters being inside. According to information received by the association, approximately 200 voters have been waiting outside the school for a long time while police continue to bar their entry.

The Association for Civil Rights urged the Central Elections Committee chairman to utilize his authority under Article 70a of the Knesset Elections Law. They requested the swift deployment of observers to investigate whether the delays are intentional and to implement necessary measures to ensure the voting process proceeds without obstacles. The association warned that continued delays without immediate intervention could disenfranchise a significant number of Arab citizens.