On Friday, the Adalah Center submitted to the Central Elections Committee of Israel its responses on behalf of the Joint List, MK Ofer Cassif (Hadash), to the disqualification requests submitted by representatives of right-wing parties against their candidacy in the Knesset elections to be held on 27 October.
Responses submitted to requests to disqualify Joint List and MK Cassif
According to Zo Khadarek, in response to the Likud's disqualification request against the Joint List, it was claimed that "this is a vexatious and distorted request, which is very far from meeting the tests of the ruling for disqualifying a list." According to the response, most of the evidence is old evidence that has already been discussed in the past, and some of it has even been decided by the Supreme Court.
Thus, most of the bills cited in the request, including Hadash's bill to repeal the Nation-State Law and the Basic Law Bill: "A Democratic, Egalitarian, and Shared State," submitted on behalf of the Joint List in the 23rd Knesset, were submitted in previous Knessets, but were not previously used as grounds for disqualification requests submitted in advance of previous election campaigns. In addition, Balad's platform to which the disqualification request refers is not the party's current platform.
In response to the request to disqualify MK Cassif, submitted by the Likud, MK Cassif responded to the serious accusation that in his political activity he engaged in "aiding the enemy in time of war," which is an offense punishable by life imprisonment or death. According to the Likud, the mere expression of criticism of the war crimes committed by Israel constitutes in itself support for the enemy, and therefore constitutes support for an armed struggle against the State of Israel that justifies disqualification from candidacy for the Knesset. This, "based on distorted quotes that seek to create a false representation that MK Cassif calls for the commission of violent acts, and on his political activity in the international arena."
The request claimed that the criticism he voiced abroad "dramatically affected the political and security situation of the country" and led to sanctions on Israel. MK Cassif responded to this by saying that "the ruling party has no one to blame but itself for its failed policy leading the State of Israel to the dismal diplomatic situation it finds itself in," and emphasized: "The attempt to look for a scapegoat who will bear responsibility for the government's criminal acts and omissions is a perverse fascist practice."
(Photo: Zo Khadarek)