Israeli Elections and Arab Parties' Impact

Indeed, Tareq. Initially, the decision was expected to be issued

on

next Sunday, but after a decision was issued

officially by

uh, uh, the chairman of the uh, uh, National

Democratic uh, uh, Assembly Party, Sami Abu Shehadeh,

uh, he issued a statement shortly ago saying that after

pressure from the Supreme Court, he was announcing his withdrawal

uh, from uh, the elections, while his party remains

in this electoral battle. As a result,

the announcement date was brought forward

for the Supreme Court's decisions, which were announced today,

and—as is usually the case in every election—

Israeli parties, especially right-wing

parties, file

appeals to have the Arab lists disqualified,

and every time, the court strikes down these

uh, I mean, these decisions or

petitions, and the elections are contested.

Therefore, following the decisions issued shortly ago, uh, the

United Arab List remained in uh,

the elections, as did the Joint List,

and, of course, the National Democratic Assembly list,

In addition to, uh, Ofer Cassif,

against whom Ben-Gvir also filed a petition

or complaint seeking to disqualify him. Thus, the only one

excluded through a withdrawal mechanism after pressure from the Supreme Court

was Sami Abu Shehadeh. How will this affect Israeli parties?

Uh, Israeli parties? It certainly does, because opinion polls

showed that the chances of the coalition

government parties, uh, the, uh,

parties currently in government or the opposition are not the greatest chances

of winning the elections, and, uh,

given that the Arab lists are running in the

elections, the voting percentages will also decline

in favor of the opposition or even the coalition

government. Thus, this is an electoral battle in which

the far right is trying to exclude Arab parties and lists.

Liyali.

Liyali.

Uh, I mean, running in elections. And the one who started

this incitement was certainly, as we have followed throughout the previous period,

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Yes, I hear you, Tareq.

Do the Joint List and the United Arab List have time today to, uh…

Promoting their election campaign as these elections approach

And awaiting the Supreme Court's decision on participation?

Yes, I mean they basically began this uh, election campaign

before submitting this petition to

uh, the court and before the Electoral Commission's decision

uh, last week. And certainly, as was announced

uh, earlier, or based on the reactions to what was announced

after this decision, they are ready to fight this

electoral battle. But there have also just been reactions, I mean

I was

following the reactions. For example, there is discontent in the opposition.

Avigdor Lieberman, one of the opposition party members,

is unhappy with the decision not to disqualify

the Arab lists. And there will certainly be further reactions

in succession after this decision issued just

a little while ago.

But we're also talking about Itamar Ben-Gvir, who

attacks Arab parties, not only

during elections, he is always trying to exclude the parties

the Arab parties and incitement against them, whether

through official legal complaints

or even through his ongoing statements.

And apparently, based on what we had

observed previously, Tareq, there are concerns among, whether it is Ben

Gvir, or even Likud, Netanyahu, and

Smotrich, that the Arab parties may affect the percentages

Voting, uh, in the elections for their parties, whether it was

Likud, Religious Zionism, or, uh, Jewish Power,

Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir, and Smotrich's parties. But

at least this, uh, indicates that

there will be seats or a seat for the Arab

parties in these, uh, elections.