ei: Supreme Court of Israel ruled to reject ban on Palestinian political parties

MK Azmi Bishara

This morning, the Supreme Court of Israel ruled to reject three disqualification decisions issued by the Central Elections Committee (CEC). The Court approved the participation of the National Democratic Assembly (NDA), and reinstated the candidacies of MKs Azmi Bishara and Ahmad Tibi, for the upcoming Israeli elections.

In a 7 to 4 decision, the Court decided to accept the appeal of the NDA and to cancel the decision of the CEC. The Court also decided to reject the decision of the CEC to bar MK Bishara from participating in the 28 January 2003 elections. The seven Supreme Court Justices who voted with the majority are: Chief Justice Barak, and Justices Dorner, Beinish, Mazza, Englard, Procaccia, and Rivlin. The four Supreme Court Justices who signed the dissenting opinion are: Deputy Chief Justice Levin and Justices Strasberg-Cohen, Turkel and Levy.

The Court was unanimous in rejecting the decision of the CEC to ban MK Ahmad Tibi from participating in the elections, thus reinstating his candidacy.

The Court stated that it would issue its reasons for these rulings at a later date.

Adalah General Director Hassan Jabareen, Advocate, represented the NDA and MK Azmi Bishara before the CEC and Supreme Court, while Adalah Staff Attorney Marwan Dalal represented MK Tibi.

Adalah General Director Hassan Jabareen, Advocate stated that: "Adalah welcomes the Supreme Court decisions. These decisions suggest that when there is a rational discourse without subjectivity, in contrast to the partisan voting of the CEC, the result will be positive."

Related Links:

Supreme Court hearings today on appeal against NDA disqualification, Adalah, January 7, 2003

Adalah files an appeal to the Supreme Court against the decision to disqualify Palestinian MK's, Adalah, January 4, 2003

My brother's fight for democracy, Marwan Bishara, The Guardian, 31 December 2002

Where is the democracy here?, Aeyal Gross, ICDAB, 27 December 2002

Special Report: Elections 2003: Threats to Arab Political Participation, Adalah

Coverage Trends: Unqualified use of the term "Arab Israeli" instead of "Palestinian", Arjan El Fassed, EI, March 31, 2001