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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Israel elections: Court bans far-right candidate Ben-Ari | Israel elections: Court bans far-right candidate Ben-Ari |
| (about 16 hours later) | |
| Israel's Supreme Court has disqualified the leader of the far-right Jewish Power party, Michael Ben-Ari, from next month's elections. | Israel's Supreme Court has disqualified the leader of the far-right Jewish Power party, Michael Ben-Ari, from next month's elections. |
| In doing so, it overturned an earlier decision by the electoral committee. | In doing so, it overturned an earlier decision by the electoral committee. |
| Mr Ben-Ari has faced criticism over his comments about Israeli Arabs. Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has said they amount to "incitement to racism". | Mr Ben-Ari has faced criticism over his comments about Israeli Arabs. Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has said they amount to "incitement to racism". |
| The court also reinstated Israeli Arab parties previously banned from contesting the 9 April poll. | The court also reinstated Israeli Arab parties previously banned from contesting the 9 April poll. |
| They had been barred from standing for their critical remarks about the state of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces. | They had been barred from standing for their critical remarks about the state of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces. |
| Ahead of the elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had forged an alliance with several far-right parties, including Jewish Power, to try to shore up support. | |
| His right-wing Likud party is seen as a strong contender despite an investigation into corruption allegations against him. | His right-wing Likud party is seen as a strong contender despite an investigation into corruption allegations against him. |
| The long-serving prime minister also faces a serious challenge from the new centrist Blue and White alliance led by ex-military chief Benny Gantz, which is polling just behind Likud. | |
| All governments in Israel are coalitions because the country's system of proportional representation makes it unlikely for single parties to be able to govern alone. | All governments in Israel are coalitions because the country's system of proportional representation makes it unlikely for single parties to be able to govern alone. |
| What did the court rule? | What did the court rule? |
| The court backed an appeal from left-wing politicians who argued that Mr Ben-Ari had made racist remarks. | The court backed an appeal from left-wing politicians who argued that Mr Ben-Ari had made racist remarks. |
| The Times of Israel website reports that the appeal cited Mr Ben-Ari from August 2018, saying: "We have to change the equation regarding anyone who dares to speak against a Jew. | The Times of Israel website reports that the appeal cited Mr Ben-Ari from August 2018, saying: "We have to change the equation regarding anyone who dares to speak against a Jew. |
| "[Such a person] is a dead man. He must not come out alive. No expelling him, no stripping him of his citizenship. He does not live! A firing squad takes him out as the Arabs understand [best]." | "[Such a person] is a dead man. He must not come out alive. No expelling him, no stripping him of his citizenship. He does not live! A firing squad takes him out as the Arabs understand [best]." |
| Mr Ben-Ari has claimed that he was referring to Hamas leadership - not all Arabs. | Mr Ben-Ari has claimed that he was referring to Hamas leadership - not all Arabs. |
| And responding to Sunday's court ruling, he said: "There is a judicial junta here which wants to take over our lives. | And responding to Sunday's court ruling, he said: "There is a judicial junta here which wants to take over our lives. |
| "They tell you there is a democracy here. It's not a democracy, there is a judicial junta here, unfortunately, which took power into its hands." | "They tell you there is a democracy here. It's not a democracy, there is a judicial junta here, unfortunately, which took power into its hands." |
| What does it mean for the elections? | |
| It is unlikely to affect the polls, as other members of Jewish Power are still allowed to run. Candidate Itamar Ben-Gvir was approved on Sunday to stand in Mr Ben-Ari's place. | |
| The court's decision marks the first time that a single candidate - not an entire party - has been banned from running in elections since electoral law changes were adopted in 2002. | The court's decision marks the first time that a single candidate - not an entire party - has been banned from running in elections since electoral law changes were adopted in 2002. |
| Prime Minister Netanyahu's decision to partner with Jewish Power received rare criticism from pro-Israel lobby groups in the US - Aipac and the American Jewish Committee - who described it as a "racist and reprehensible" party. | |
| The ultra-right party includes disciples of the late anti-Arab extremist rabbi Meir Kahane, who led a right-wing fundamentalist group in the 1980s that advocated attacks on Arabs, and was later outlawed under Israeli anti-terrorist legislation. | |
| Israel's Supreme Court also approved on Sunday a candidate from the radical socialist Hadash party, and overturned a ban on an Israeli-Arab alliance called Raam-Balad, which had been accused of links to Palestinian militants. |