Elections Committee won't bar Marzel from Umm al-Fahm
Committee's presidency says it won't intervene in National Union's decision to send extreme rightist to serve as observer in Arab city polling station; asks attorney general to instruct police to prevent any provocations by Marzel or against him
The Central Elections Committee decided not to intervene with the National Union's decision to send right-wing activist Baruch Marzel to serve as a representative on the party's behalf at a polling station in Umm al-Fahm on Election Day.
The committee's presidency found that there were no legal grounds for interfering with the party's decision. It further explained that any intervention would be futile, as concerns regarding Marzel pertained to his presence at any polling station in the Arab sector.
However, the committee asked Attorney General Menachem Mazuz to instruct the police to prevent any provocations by Marzel or against him from taking place.
Furthermore, it directed the chairman of the regional election committee in charge of the polling station in the Arab city to send an additional representative to the place in case Marzel would have to be replaced.
Earlier Monday, Marzel approached the Association for Civil Rights in Israel and the B'Tselem organization and asked them to protest the discrimination against him.
"It's unacceptable for them to defend – in the name of free speech - any Arab who waves a PLO flag in the heart of Tel Aviv, while they are preventing a legitimate elections observer from fulfilling his duty," he claimed.
Efrat Weiss contributed to the report
