Israel Committee Bans Arab Parties From Upcoming Knesset Vote
The move targets lists representing two million citizens and faces a final Supreme Court review before the October elections proceed.
Israel’s Central Elections Committee voted to disqualify the two main Palestinian lists from running in the upcoming Knesset elections on October 27. This decision affects more than two million Arab citizens and highlights deep racial tensions within the state political system.
The committee voted eighteen to five to ban both the Joint List and the United Arab List. It also barred candidates Sami Abu Shehadeh and Ofer Cassif from participating. The panel relied on Article 7A of the Basic Law to justify excluding parties that deny Israel as a Jewish democratic state.
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir publicly led the campaign to disqualify these representatives. He posted videos demanding Abu Shehadeh leave the country and join former party founder Azmi Bishara in Syria. Ben Gvir boasted that his movement spent years collecting evidence to block Arab members from parliament.
Joint List leader Youssef Jabareen condemned the ruling as political persecution of Arab society. He described the panel as a Kahanist committee targeting over one million voters. Abu Shehadeh denied allegations of supporting armed struggle related to an article published in October 2023. The Supreme Court will hear appeals on Thursday.