Israel Bans Arab Parties from Coming Election
Posted by Rajib - 14/01/09 at 07:01:46 amThe Central Elections Committee (CEC) yesterday on Monday banned the Arab parties from running in next month’s parliamentary elections. The Arab parties, ‘Balad’ and ‘United Arab List – Ta’al’, were banned by the committee in a vote that reflected sharp polarization among country’s Jewish majority and Arab minority who live on the Israeli side of the 1948 ceasefire line.
‘Balad’ is banned by a vote of 26 to three, with a single no vote, while 21 of committee members voted in favor of except for the ‘United Arab List Ta’al’, with eight members voting against and two members no vote.
The decision does not affect Arab lawmakers in mainly Jewish parties or the country’s communist party. Roughly one-fifth of Israel’s 7 million citizens are Arabs. Israeli Arabs take pleasure full citizenship rights, but have suffered from discrimination and lots of shortage.
Arab politician Ahmed Tibi and Jamal Zahalka, political rivals who head the two Arab communities in parliament, joined together in condemning Monday’s decision. The chairman of Balad’s, Jamal Zahalka declaring that,
Israeli democracy, not Balad, is being put to the test today. Balad is a democratic and progressive party, and we believe in the basic principle of equality for all people. All we demand is democracy! What are you afraid of when we ask for equality? We are the sons of this country, we were born here and we are willing to treat you with equality, so why don’t you?
Others, Tibi said,
It was a political trial led by a group of Fascists and racists who are willing to see the Knesset without Arabs and want to see the country without Arabs.
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