Israel Seeks to Block Two Major Arab Parties From October Election

Israel’s Central Elections Committee has voted to disqualify the two main Arab electoral lists from next month’s general election, placing the political representation of Palestinian citizens of Israel before the country’s Supreme Court.

The committee voted on Wednesday to bar the United Arab List (Ra’am), led by Mansour Abbas, and the Joint List, an alliance of the Arab-led Hadash, Ta’al and Balad parties. It also voted to disqualify Hadash lawmaker Ofer Cassif and Balad leader Sami Abu Shehadeh.

Israel’s general election is scheduled for October 27, 2026.

The decisions are not yet final. The targeted lists can appeal their exclusion, while the disqualification of individual candidates requires approval from the Supreme Court. Adalah, the legal centre representing the parties and candidates, said it would challenge the decisions when the cases are heard next week.

Ra’am described its exclusion as “political and unacceptable”, arguing that the decision was aimed at preventing the party from influencing the balance of power and potentially changing the government.

The Joint List also rejected the decision, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir of seeking to discourage Arab citizens from voting. The party questioned the decision to exclude parties representing more than 1.25 million voters.

Abu Shehadeh said his disqualification was an attempt to silence criticism of government policies. He rejected allegations that he supports violence, saying he has never called for violence or terrorism and opposes armed struggle.

The petitions seeking the bans cite Section 7A of Israel’s Basic Law: The Knesset. The provision allows candidates or electoral lists to be disqualified for denying Israel’s existence as a “Jewish and democratic state”, inciting racism, or supporting armed struggle against Israel by an enemy state or a designated terrorist organisation.

Netanyahu’s Likud party sought to disqualify the Joint List and Cassif and was also among those challenging Ra’am. Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party separately sought to disqualify Abu Shehadeh.

Adalah disputes the allegations, arguing that there is no evidence showing that Ra’am supports armed struggle and that the case against the Joint List relies heavily on older material.

The committee voted 31–4 to disqualify Abu Shehadeh. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara had found no legal basis for excluding the other targeted parties and candidates but said an article published by Abu Shehadeh on October 8, 2023, warranted further examination over allegations that it could constitute support for armed struggle. Adalah rejects that interpretation.

The outcome could have significant implications for the election. A Channel 12 poll published on Tuesday projected seven seats for the Joint List and five for Ra’am, while Netanyahu’s current coalition bloc was projected to hold 50 seats.

The Supreme Court has previously overturned decisions by the Central Elections Committee to ban Arab lists and candidates, including the exclusion of Balad in 2022.

The court will now determine whether the evidence meets the legal threshold for excluding the two principal Arab lists from the October ballot.