Mazuz: No grounds to bar Arab parties from Knesset race
AG says Central Elections Committee's decision to disqualify Arab parties from bidding in nearing general elections based on flimsy evidence. Court to rule on appeal by Thursday
Attorney General Menachem Mazuz said Monday that he sees no grounds to prevent the Arab parties Balad and United Arab List-Ta'al from participating in the general elections.
The Central Elections Committee disqualified both parties from bidding in the nearing elections last week, stating that since they do not recognize Israel as the Jewish homeland and advocate an armed conflict against it, they are ineligible to take part in the Knesset race.
Mazuz's brief, filed with the High Court of Justice in response to the parties' appeal of the decision, noted that the decision to disqualify the Arab parties was based on "flimsy evidence."
The appeal, filed by Adalah, the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel on behalf of both parties, stated the the Central Elections Committee's decision "was in breach of natural justice", which is a legal philosophy stating that there is an inherent quality in the laws of procedural fairness, meant to ensure the just, or fair, processes in legal proceedings.
The law required the High Court to have a nine-judge panel hear appeals of this nature. The court must render its ruling on the appeal by Thursday.
