The Central Election Committee will discuss a request made by Likud MK Ofir Akonis to disqualify Arab MK Hanin Zuabi along with the Balad and United Arab List (Ta’al) parties from running in the upcoming general elections. While it is unlikely the committee will disqualify the Arab parties, there does appear to be a majority favoring the disqualification of Zuabi, who was among the so-called peace activists on the terrorist Mavi Marmara flotilla. No doubt that if she is disqualified, the case will then move to the High Court of Justice. In the past, with the exception of Rabbi Meir Kahane HY”D and his Kach Party, the High Court has overruled the decisions of the Central Election Committee.
Akonis adds that it is not just the Mavi Marmara, and while that is serious enough he points out that Zuabi’s reason d’être in Knesset is “to undermine the State of Israel”. He points out that she denies the legitimacy of the existence of the State of Israel and therefore, he feels she has no place in parliament.
It is important to point out that in order to present the request to the committee; Akonis was required to obtain the signatures of one-third of the members, 13 people, which he did. The committee is expected to address the request next week.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
Unreal y dont we offer positions to nazis just to be fair?
In the USA an elected official is required to swear allegiance to the USA. Does Israel permit elected people to serve in the Knesset without such an oath?
Note how in democratic (small “D”) countries, even traitors are allowed to run for office.
Ironically, under the proportional system, the left wing parties stand to gain seats if another left wing party is prevented from running.
#2– Actually in the United States there is no requirement to swear allegiance to the country in order to hold office. All you need to promise to do is to obey the constitution and laws. You might be confusing matters with England where many offices require a pledge to “be faithful and bear true allegiance” to the monarch. That no such pledge is present in the American system was probably deliberate when the oaths began in the 18th century. The “pledge of allegiance to the flag” has no legal status in the US, and is largely limited to children in schools and occasionally at political meetings.