Arab list is stronger without Zoabi
The removal of Knesset member Haneen Zoabi, known for her provocative anti-Israeli stance, may make it easier for Israelis to vote for the new joint Arab party.
Elections Committee members for the 20th Knesset disqualified the candidacy of Knesset member Haneen Zoabi, who's ranked seventh on the joint Arab slate. Yariv Levin, the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman who was one of the petitioners against her candidacy, said during the deliberations that Zoabi’s activity is focused on supporting terrorism and repudiating Israel’s existence as a Jewish democratic state.
“Those seeking to disqualify me are the ones who should be standing before us and held accountable for what has been done to my people and to other peoples,” she replied to the allegations leveled against her.
Her disqualification on Feb. 12 will soon be brought before the High Court of Justice, as was the case during the previous elections in December 2012. Back then, Zoabi was disqualified on similar charges of incitement and undermining the state. However, the Supreme Court overturned the disqualification, allowing her to run on Balad’s slate.
What plays in Zoabi’s favor now is the opinion of Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein, who believes that there is not enough substantive evidence to support the charges cited in the petition, including her alleged support of an armed struggle by terrorist organizations and repudiation of the State of Israel’s characteristics as a Jewish and democratic state.
