Israel’s elections are about a month away, and that means a last ditch effort by the Central Elections Committee to ban Arab candidates and Arab parties. This year, the bannings are centering on MP Hanin Zoabi.
Zoabi, a member of the Balad Party, is facing allegations from the far-right that she has “undermined” the military with her policies, and having been on board the aid ship Mavi Marmara when Israeli soldiers killed several aid workers is only adding to the eagerness to kick her out of politics.
Zoabi dismissed the effort as part of the “fascist right’s” effort to destroy freedom of speech and limit the political opposition. Since that self-same far-right is overwhelmingly dominating the parliament, however, the move is likely to pass.
After Zoabi, the Central Elections Committee is also scheduled to discuss the disqualification of the entire rest of Balad, and also the United Arab List Ta’al. The parties were both banned by the committee in 2009, roughly a month before that election.
That time the Israeli High Court of Justice overturned the ban within a matter of weeks, and while MPs are saying this might finally be the time for the court to “take a stand” against Arab politicians running for office, it seems likely the ban will be reversed again.
What becomes apparent is that the problem is not Israel per se, but it is the Israeli fascists within.
kind of odd –
side with the oppressed minority and save israel
side against the oppressed minority and watch Israel destroy itself.
my father always said that the Jews would self-destruct if they were left alone … the fight over who exactly is a Jew simmers just below the surface of Israeli society, Here's hoping …
Israel's Constitutional Democracy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hang on there isnt a constitution and this is an obvious show that there is no Democracy either!
Apartheid is evident i many things now it includes the Parliament!
yay for the "only democracy [sic] in the middle east"! pfffff
Sounds like we can dispense with that nonsense now. Or perhaps, transfer the title to Egypt, depending on how things turn out there. Maybe we should send the $5 billion or so in aid along with the title.
Even Hitler canceled all oposition parties…Zionist regime in its "last days" will produce many suprices for World community. Its time to talk seriously about "disolution" of Israel and return to days before 1946 when Jews , Muslims and others lived in peace. Zionist colonialism with unmached brutality and arrogance will end anyway…World is sick of it….And R E A L T O R A H Judaism has to play front role in fight against Zionism and restore respect it deserves….peter czech
The US has canceled all opposition parties too, just not as obviously. The two departments of the Banker's War Party can't allow any opposition.
Or done so 'obviously' at times in the past. Try being a part of the Communist Party in America during the McCarthy 50's.
But of course! The most "democratic" country in the middle east shows itself to be the hypocritical liars we know them to be.
Don't blame Israel for copying the USA, the gold standard for democracy and human rights!
I know Manning suggests things are not so right there and torture and rendition is rife and keeping people in cages in Cuba is not really a good look and droning civilians is rather poor and using sanctions to starve children is rather disappointing and using depleted uranium sends a bad message…
Israel shows what the U.S. is becoming!