Election Committee Rejects Otzma Yehudit Bid to Bar Democrats in 14-2 Vote

The Central Elections Committee on September 24 rejected Otzma Yehudit's request to bar Yair Golan's Democrats from running in the election for the 26th Knesset. Two members voted in favor and 14 against, with no abstentions. Otzma Yehudit had cited two grounds under Basic Law: The Knesset, negation of Israel's existence as a Jewish and democratic state and incitement to racism. Likud, Shas and Religious Zionism did not take part in the vote, viewing the request as groundless and seeking to avoid harming the requests to disqualify Balad chair Sami Abu Shehadeh and Ra'am. The vote concluded the committee's hearings on disqualification requests.