Supreme Court Allows Ra’am, Joint List and Ofer Cassif to Run in Election (Updated)
Updates
- October 2, 2026: Israel’s Supreme Court on Friday allowed Ra’am, the Joint List and MK Ofer Cassif to contest elections to the 26th Knesset, overturning Central Elections Committee disqualifications. The nine-justice panel unanimously reinstated both lists and approved Cassif’s candidacy by seven votes to two, with Justices David Mintz and Alex Stein dissenting. The majority found that the evidence did not meet the strict legal threshold required to disqualify Cassif or the lists. All nine justices condemned Cassif’s statements and actions; the dissenting judges considered his conduct sufficient to establish support for armed struggle against Israel.
Original report
Israel's Central Elections Committee voted 19–5 on Wednesday to disqualify Joint List lawmaker Ofer Cassif from the October 27 Knesset election; two members abstained. The committee accepted a Likud petition under Section 7A of the Basic Law: The Knesset, alleging that Cassif denied Israel's existence as a Jewish and democratic state. Cassif rejected the petition, saying it distorted his opposition to government policy. The decision and its reasons must go to the Supreme Court, so the vote does not finally settle his eligibility. Committee chair Justice Noam Sohlberg did not vote.
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