Israel bans Arab parties from Knesset poll
The gist
Israel's Central Elections Committee voted to bar Ra'am and the Joint List from the Knesset election.
The decision now goes to the Supreme Court, which has overturned similar bans before.
How it unfolded
- Sep 23, 2026Israel's Central Elections Committee votes to disqualify Ra'am, the Joint List (Hadash, Ta'al, Balad), Hadash MK Ofer Cassif and Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh from the October election.
- Sep 23, 2026The committee accepts a Likud petition against the Joint List by a vote of 15-8, and votes 30-4 to specifically block Sami Abu Shehadeh from running even if his party is eventually allowed to.
- Sep 24, 2026The decision is reported across Israeli and international outlets; the committee's rulings must now be reviewed by the Supreme Court.