The Central Elections Committee for the Knesset, headed by Supreme Court Justice Uzi Fogelman, rejected at noon (Wednesday) the request of Attorney Itamar Ben-Gvir of Otzma Yehudit and other parties to disqualify the Joint List from running for the 24th Knesset.
The motion to disqualify the list was passed with a majority of 15 against, 3 in favor, and 2 abstentions. Yamina and Otzma Yehudit were in favor, while Likud, Shas, New Hope, Blue and White, Yesh Atid, and Yisrael Beiteinu were absent. United Torah Judaism abstained. Labor and Meretz were against.
The disqualification of the RAAM also failed.
Want more news, videos and stories? Join the Haredim 10 WhatsApp channel >>
Likud members decided not to participate in the discussion on disqualifying the Joint List and the Ra'am party.
Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit's position was that the requests should not be accepted. This is because there is no critical mass of evidence that substantiates any of the disqualification grounds stipulated in the law.
MK Shlomo Kari provided the explanation for the decision not to support the disqualification: "The Arab citizens of Israel already know that the Arab lists do not represent them and they are disappearing on their own. The Arab citizens of Israel are fed up with those who do not care about them and they already understand that the Likud led by Netanyahu is the one that protects the security and well-being of all Israeli citizens.".
During the hearing, Attorney Ben Gvir presented dozens of pieces of evidence indicating the support of the Joint List members for terrorism. Among the evidence was that in an interview with Ben Caspit and Yinon Magal, Balad Chairman said that the terrorists sitting in Israeli prisons are "prisoners of freedom." In addition, Abu Shehadeh sent a congratulatory video to the mothers of terrorist murderers who are serving prison sentences. Additional evidence presented concerns Joint List Chairman Ayman Odeh, who called terrorists who threw stones at IDF soldiers "the conscience of the Palestinian people.".
The joint attorney said during the hearing regarding the refusal of the joint attorneys to call murderers of Jews "terrorists," that "we do not call them terrorists. Neither the Knesset members will call them terrorists nor will the Arab citizens call them terrorists.".
During the committee discussion, MK Osama Saadi called Ben Gvir a "racist," who replied that he was a "terrorist.".
Saadi said he was shocked that the Likud had made an effort to connect Otzma Yehudit with religious Zionism, and told Ben-Gvir that he would be appointed by Netanyahu to the position of Minister of Justice, while Ben-Gvir replied: "I'm glad I'm your nightmare.".
Attorney Ben Gvir said: "We can only deplore the fact that, on the one hand, the members of the joint coalition are being presented in the Likud as supporters of terror, and on the other hand, they are actually preparing their run for the Knesset. There is no satisfactory explanation as to why the Likud is not willing to make an effort to remove Samir Kuntar's admirer, Arafat's advisor, and the minister who supports terror from the Knesset.".
The Likud stated: "The Joint List and Abbas will not be in our government and we will not rely on them in any way because they support terrorism. In every election, the Likud votes against the Joint List, the High Court trains it, and it takes advantage of the vote to strengthen itself and bring in votes. This time we will take its votes because the Arab citizens of Israel are tired of wasting their votes on parties that do nothing for them.".
Earlier, the Elections Committee plenum rejected the candidacy of number 7 on the Labor Party list, Ebtisam Marana. 16 voted in favor, 15 against.
United Torah Judaism abstained and a representative of Yisrael Beiteinu was not present at the discussion.
The decision on the disqualification now goes to the High Court.
