As of now, only Israeli Jewish parties will be allowed to run in the February 10th parliamentary elections. All Israeli Arab parties have been banned.
The Knesset's Central Election Committee decided the country's Arab citizens should be denied their representatives accusing the Israeli Arab parties of incitement, supporting terrorist groups and refusing to recognize Israel's right to exist.
From CBC News:
The decision does not affect Arab legislators in predominantly Jewish parties or the country's Communist party, which has a mixed list of Arab and Jewish candidates. Roughly one-fifth of Israel's seven million citizens are Arabs. Israeli Arabs enjoy full citizenship rights, but have suffered from discrimination and poverty for decades.
Arab legislators Ahmed Tibi and Jamal Zahalka, political rivals who head the two Arab blocs in parliament, joined together in condemning Monday's decision.
"It was a political trial led by a group of Fascists and racists who are willing to see the Knesset without Arabs and want to see the country without Arabs," said Tibi.
Together, the Arab lists hold seven of the 120 seats in the Knesset, or parliament.
5 comments:
I imagine political parties here who supported terrorism, and refused Canada's right to exist might face a challenge if they wished to participate in our elections.
That being said the final derision will lie with the courts in Israel.
So those seven members of the Knesset only announced their nefarious terrorist sympathies recently? Sounds like a very bogus excuse for punishing Arab-Israelis who raise any criticism of Israel's current assault on Gaza. Some democracy.
That is sad. And it's why I couldn't understand all the sniping about the Bloc in parliament or supporting the coalition. I see it as a sign of health. The alternative is to deny representation. I think there is a name for that and it isn't democracy.
I'd really want to know just how these Arab parties support terrorism. Bush showed us how easy that sort of smear is to throw around.
Israel's democracy has always been of the Jim Crow variety for its Palestinian population. Their representatives in the Knesset have long drawn the ire of Zionists for demanding equal rights for citizens regardless of their ethnicity. Their opposition to the attack on Gaza has now infuriated the racist nationalists behind it.
Worse may be in store for them. Avigdor Lieberman, the driving force behind their disenfranchisement is also a leading advocate of their immediate ethnic cleansing, or "transfer" in Zionist speak.
Doz
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