Foreign Affairs
Israeli Electoral Committee Votes to Exclude Arab Parties from Parliamentary Elections
A majority of Israel's electoral committee has voted to bar the United Arab List and the joint list comprising Hadash, Ta'al, and Balad from the upcoming Knesset elections in late October. The committee, dominated by members of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government, justified the move by alleging that these parties support armed struggle against Israel, claims refuted by the human rights organization Adalah. While the proposal to block the far-right Jewish Power party led by Ben-Gvir was rejected, individual Arab lawmakers were also excluded. Polls indicate no coalition holds an absolute majority, potentially making the United Arab List a decisive factor in securing the 61 seats needed for power. Arab parties condemned the decision as politically motivated and antidemocratic, representing approximately 1.25 million voters. It is widely expected that the Supreme Court will overturn the ban next week, following similar reversals in 2019 and 2022.
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