🔶 Israel’s Supreme Court overturns ban on Arab parties’ participation in elections

🔶 Israel’s Supreme Court overturns ban on Arab parties’ participation in elections

Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that the Central Elections Committee’s decision to completely remove the “Joint List” of mostly Arab parties from the elections did not meet the legal criteria necessary to disqualify candidates.

Israel’s Supreme Court unanimously rejected the Central Elections Committee’s decision regarding the prohibition of the Joint List from participating in the elections.

The court said the Central Elections Committee’s decision did not comply with the strict requirements set for electoral disqualification.

The Joint List includes parties whose main base is among Israeli Arab citizens.

The Supreme Court also overturned the ban on Ra’am’s participation. Ra’am is a party with an Islamist background, led by Mansour Abbas, and previously was part of the government of Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid.

According to a published report, the party also includes Yoav Sagalovitz, a former Jewish representative in the Knesset.

Israel’s Supreme Court also, by a vote of seven to two, rejected the Central Elections Committee’s decision to prevent Ofer Cassif, a representative of the Hadash party in the Knesset, from running.