Israel Elections: Defending Arab Political Rights
Statement by Anna Camposampiero, EL Political Secretariat
Defending Political Representation and Democratic Rights in Israel
As member of the Political Secretariat of the European Left I express deep concern over the decisions of Israel’s Central Elections Committee to disqualify two main Arab lists from the Knesset elections schedules for October 25: Ra’am, the party led by Mansour Abbas, and the Joint List, the coalition comprising Hadash, Ta’al and Balad. Together, these two groups represent approximately 1.25 million voters. The Committee also held separate votes to disqualify two individual candidates: Hadash MP Ofer Cassif and Balad leader Sami Abu Shehadeh.
These decisions affect not only individual candidates or parties. Palestinian Arab citizens constitute around one-fifth of Israel’s population, and the exclusion of the principal Arab-led electoral lists would severely restrict their ability to participate in the elections through political representatives of their choice.
The right to vote cannot be separated from the right to political representation. Democratic pluralism requires that political disagreements be addressed through elections, parliamentary debate and the rule of law, not through the exclusion of an entire political constituency.
The proceedings are particularly concerning in the broader context of increasing restrictions on political expression and protest affecting Palestinian citizens and their representatives. The allegations against individual candidates, including Ofer Cassif and Sami Abu Shehadeh, remain contested and are now subject to judicial review.
I note with concern the contrasting treatment of Arab-led parties and far-right political forces during the same electoral process. The Central Elections Committee voted to disqualify Ra’am and the Joint List while rejecting requests to disqualify other parties, including Otzma Yehudit, well known far-right party.
The forthcoming Supreme Court hearings are therefore of fundamental importance. I call for full respect for political pluralism, equality before the law and the democratic right of all citizens to participate in public life and choose their representatives.
European governments and institutions should closely follow these proceedings and make clear that equal political participation and representation are essential democratic principles.
Political representation is not a privilege. It is a fundamental democratic right.