Questions and Answers Israeli Elections Arab Parliamentarians 2012

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ElectionsQ&A:

The2013IsraeliElectionsandArabParliamentarians

Issued11December2012WhenandforwhatpurposearetheelectionsbeingheldinIsrael?

ParliamentaryelectionswillbeheldinIsraelon22January2013.Theywilldeterminethecompositionofthe19thKnesset,Israelsunicameral(singlehouse)parliamentthathasa

totalof120seats.

Whowillvote?

Israelicitizensaged18andoverhavetherighttovote.Accordingtorecenttrends,ArabcitizensarelesslikelytovotethanJewishcitizens:inthelastparliamentaryelectionsfor

the18thKnesset(20092012),thevoterturnoutratewas64.7%overalland53%among

Arabvoters.1

Whichmainpoliticalpartiesarerunningintheelection?

Atotalof 34politicalpartieshaveenteredthe race for theKnesset.Amajorityof these

partiesarerightwingintheirpoliticalorientation.Thelargestrightwing/religiousparties

are: the joint list ofLikud/Beiteinu (ledby the currentPrimeMinisterand headof theLikud, BinyaminNetanyahu, and the ForeignMinister and headof the Yisrael Beiteinu

politicalparty, Avigdor Lieberman), Shas and United Torah Judaism (two Jewish UltraOrthodoxparties), and the Jewish Home/National Union (amerged rightwing national

religiousparty).ThelargestcentristpartiesareKadima(thelargestsinglepoliticalpartyin

thelastKnessetwith28seats)andLabor(acenterleftparty).OntheZionistleftisMeretz

(asocialdemocraticparty).Somenewlyformedpoliticalpartieswillalsocompete intheelections,includingHatnuah(acentristpartyheadedbyformerleaderoftheopposition

and Kadima, Tzipi Livni), Strong Israel (Otzma Leyisrael; extreme right),WholeNation(UltraOrthodox, split off from Shas), Yesh Atid (center, established in response to the

socialjusticeprotestsof2011),andCalcala(whichtranslatesasfinance).

AreanyArabpoliticalpartiesrunningintheelections?

Yes.Three Arabpartieswill run:Hadash (ArabJewish;MohammadBarakeh,Dr. HannaSwaid, Dov Hanin, Dr. Afou Agbaria, Nabila Espanioly), the United Arab ListRaam

Taal(Sheikh IbrahimSarsur,Dr.AhmadTibi,MasudGanaim,TalabAbu Arar, Talabal

Sana)andTajammu/Balad(theNationalDemocraticAssembly;Dr.JamalZahalka,HaninZoabi,Dr.BaselGhattas,JumaalZabarqa,andFuqraAbdalRaheem).AsmallnumberofArabMKsaremembersofotherpoliticalparties.

Whatisthecountryselectoralsystem?

TheIsraeli electoral system isa closedlist proportionalrepresentation system.Electors

thereforevoteforapoliticalpartyratherthananindividualcandidate.Allcandidatesruninasingle,nationwidevoteandseatsareallocatedindirectproportiontothepercentage

1TheIsraelDemocracyInstitute,Participation,AbstentionandBoycott,22April2009.


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ofvotesthatapartyreceives.Thethresholdforapartylisttogainrepresentationissetat

2%,whichhashistoricallyallowedalargenumberofsmallparties,withfiveseatsofless,tositintheKnesset.Ithasalsomeantthatnosinglepartyhaseverobtainedanabsolute

majoritywithoutneedingtoformacoalition.Thereisamaximumparliamentarytermof

fouryears.ThePresidentoftheStateusuallyinvitesthelargestpoliticalparty,orelsethat

which ismostlikelytoformamajoritycoalition(of61ormoreseats),toform thenextgovernment.TheleaderofthelargestpartyinthecoalitionthenassumesthepositionofPrimeMinister.

HowisfairrepresentationfortheArabnationalminorityinIsraelguaranteed?

Itisnt.NoseatsaredesignatedforArabpoliticalpartylistsorcandidatesandthereisnoquotasystemtoensurethatArabcitizensareappropriatelyrepresentedintheparliament.

Since1948,noArabpartyhasbeeninvitedtojoinorincludedingovernmentalcoalitions.Inthelast(18th)Knesset,Arabpartiesheldasmallproportion(11seats)intheKnesset.

Thisnumberisnotexpectedtoincreasesignificantlyintheupcomingelections.

Whatisadisqualificationmotionandwhocanfileit?

Adisqualificationmotion isa request filed tothe CentralElections Committee (CEC) to

disqualifyapartyoranindividualcandidatefromtheKnessetelections.Asimplemajorityof51%ofCECmembershavetoapprovethemotionforittobeimplemented.Anycitizen

aged18andovercanfileadisqualificationmotiontotheCEC.

Whatlawgovernsthedisqualificationprocess?

TheElectionsLaw(ConsolidatedVersion)1969governstheprocessoffiling,decidingonand appealing against decisions onmotions for disqualification. Article 7A of theBasic

Law: The Knesset 1985 (and subsequent amendments) enumerates the grounds for

whichapartyorindividualcandidatecanbedisqualifiedfromtheelections.

Article 7A of the Basic Law: The Knesset, entitled Prevention of participation in the

elections, provides that a candidate or a political party list may be disqualified fromKnessetelectionsiftheirgoalsoractions:(i)denytheexistenceoftheStateofIsraelasa

Jewishanddemocraticstate;(ii)incitetoracism;or(iii)[offer]supportofarmedstruggle,ofanenemystateorofaterroristorganizationagainsttheStateofIsrael.

This ideological basis for disqualifying political parties and individual candidates was

introducedin1985,whenArticle7AwasaddedtotheBasicLaw:TheKnesset.Thelatterprovision (iii) supportofarmedstruggle was added inanamendment to the lawmadein2002.AllofthedisqualificationmotionsthathavesincebeenfiledagainstArab

partiesandindividualcandidateshavereliedononeormoreoftheseprovisions.

ThevaguelywordedprovisionsofArticle7Aaredangeroussincetheycouldpotentiallybeused toban a political party that adopts political positions like supporting a onestate

solution, for example, or a state for all its citizens, on the basis that such positionsconstitutesomeformofdenialofIsraelasaJewishstate.Further,thelawdoesnotdefinea

terrororganizationorwhatwouldconstituteofferingsupportforanarmedstruggle.

Thesegroundscouldthereforebeused,andindeedhavebeenused,toattempttostiflefreedemocraticdebateandlimitthepoliticalrightsandfreedomsofArabcitizensofIsraelin

particular.


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WhatistheCentralElectionsCommittee(CEC)?

According to the Knesset Elections Law (Consolidated Version) of 1969, the CentralElectionsCommittee(VaadetHaBehirotHaMerkazit)isestablishedinordertocarryout

the elections process for the followingKnesset.The committee ischairedbyaSupreme

CourtjusticewhoischosenbyagroupofSupremeCourtjustices.SupremeCourtJustice

ElyakimRubenstein, the formerAttorneyGeneral,willchair theCECduring thecurrentelectioncycle. Themembers of the committee are representatives of the parliamentarylistsinthecurrentKnesset.

HowdoestheCECwork?

The functions of the CEC include: receiving the listsofcandidates and approving them;othertechnicaldutiesrelatedtofacilitatingthevoting;trainingelectionsstaff;collecting

theelectionsresults from each pollingstation;andtallyingandpublishing theelectionsresults,anddividingthe120Knessetmandates.TheCECalsoholdshearingsanddecides

onmotionstodisqualifypoliticalpartylistsandindividualcandidatesfromrunninginthe

elections.

Isthereanappealprocess?

If the CEC votes todisqualify an individual candidate fromparticipating in the KnessetelectionsinaccordancewithSection7AoftheBasicLaw:TheKnesset,itmustforwardits

decisionandargumentstotheSupremeCourtforapproval.Bycontrast,aCECdecisionto

disqualifyapoliticalpartylistisbinding;however,thelisthastherightofappealtotheSupremeCourtagainsttheCECsdecision,underArticle64oftheElectionsLaw(1969).

TheSupremeCourthaspreviouslyoverturnedCECdecisionstodisqualifyArabpolitical

partylistsandindividualcandidates.TheSupremeCourthasruledonlyoncetodisqualify

anArabpoliticalpartyfromrunningintheKnessetelections.Thatruling, intheYardorcase,wasdeliveredin1965againsttheparticipationoftheElArdmovement;thisdecision

wasgivenintheabsenceofanyBasicLawgoverningthesubject.

HaveanydisqualificationmotionsbeensubmittedagainstArabpartiesor

candidatesaheadofthe2013elections?

Yes. To date, rightwing MKs have asked the CEC to disqualify Arab parties

Balad/TajammuandtheUnitedArabListRaamTaalfromtheelections.MKDavidRotem

(Yisrael Beiteinu), who is a deputy chair of the CEC, has asked Tajammu/Balad to be

banned;MK Michael BenAri (theNationalUnion) and MK Aryeh Eldad (Strong Israel)have asked forTajammu/Balad andtheUnitedArabListRaamTaal tobebanned.MKOfirAkunis(Likud)hasaskedforMKHaninZoabi(Tajammu/Balad)tobebannedasan

individualcandidate.

Theirrequests,whichareallbasedonArticle7AoftheBasicLaw:TheKnesset,variouslycite the denial of Israel as a Jewish state and support for terror, includingMK Zoabis

participation in the 2010 Gaza FreedomFlotilla, as the reasons for the disqualificationmotions.Thedeadlineforthesubmissionofdisqualificationmotions,13December2012,

isstillpending.Meanwhile,rightwingactorshavealsoannouncedtheirintentiontofile

disqualificationmotions againstMKAhmadTibi (UnitedArab ListRaamTaal)andMKJamalZahalka(Tajammu/Balad).


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HavetherebeenpreviousdisqualificationmotionsagainstArabpoliticalpartiesand

candidates?

Yes.Fromthe2003Knessetelectionsonwards,disqualificationmotionshavebeenfiled

againstArabpartylistsand/orindividualcandidatesineachsuccessiveroundofelections.

TheyhaveallreliedonArticle7AoftheBasicLaw:TheKnesset.Beforethe2003elections,

the thenAttorney General, Elyakim Rubenstein (now a Supreme Court Justice and thechair of the CEC), and several rightwing MKs filed disqualification motions againstindividual Arab candidates andpoliticalparties (Balad/Tajammu,HadashTaal and the

UnitedArabList).ItwasthefirsttimethattheCECwasaskedtodecideontheeligibilityof

individual candidates.Challenges againstallof theArab candidates andpoliticalparties

weresubmitted.The CEC votedtodisqualify theBalad/Tajammu list,Dr. AzmiBisharaandDr.AhmadTibi.AdalahrepresentedtheArabpoliticalleadersandpoliticalpartylists

beforetheCEC,andlaterrepresentedBalad/Tajammu,MKBisharaandMKTibibeforetheSupremeCourt. The AttorneyGeneral himself took the extraordinary stepofasking the

CECtodisqualifyMKBisharaandtheBalad/Tajammuparty.

Anexpanded11justiceSupremeCourtpaneloverturnedalloftheCECsdecisions.Inthe

SupremeCourtappealagainst theCECsdecisiontodisqualifyMKAzmiBisharaandhis

Balad/Tajammuparty,theAttorneyGeneralarguedthattheprincipleofastateforallitscitizens,asespousedbyBalad/Tajammu,negatedIsraelasaJewishanddemocraticstate.

However,thecourtdecidedtooverturntheCECsdecisionina74splitdecision.Thecourt

ruledthat inorder for the statetoprovethatapoliticalpartyorcandidate negatestheexistenceofIsraelasatheJewishanddemocraticstateforthepurposeofdisqualification,

itmustprovideevidencetodemonstratethatthemainandcentralactivityofapoliticalparty list, as expressed through its actions, is to oppose the following: a Jewish

demographicmajorityinIsrael;theLawofReturn;Hebrewastheprimarylanguageofthe

state; and the Jewish symbols,nationalholidays, Jewish law and heritage aspartoftheculturallifeofthestate.Inthiscase,sevenJusticesfoundthattheAttorneyGeneralhad

providednosuchevidenceinthecaseofMKBisharaorhispartylist.

In the runup to the 2006 elections, the Likud Party and rightwing MKs submitted

disqualificationmotionsagainstMKSheikhIbrahimSarsurandtheUnitedArabList(UAL).Adalah represented MK Sarsur and the UAL before the CEC, which rejected the

disqualificationmotions,allowingthemtocompeteintheelections.

Inthe2009elections,theCECvotedtobantheBalad/TajammuandtheUnitedArabListandArabMovementforChange(UALAMC)partylistsfromtheelectionsbasedonArticle7AoftheBasicLaw:TheKnesset.AdalahfiledanappealtotheSupremeCourtarguingthat

banningthepartiesfromstandingforelectionwouldeffectivelydenytheArabminorityan

effectivevoteandharmtheirconstitutionalrightstoelecttheirownrepresentativesand

run for elected political office. In January 2009, an expanded ninejustice panel of theSupremeCourtoverturnedtheCECsdecisionstobanthetwoparties(inan81majority

ruling in the case of Balad/Tajammu, and in a unanimous ruling in the case of theUALAMC).

ItcanbereasonablyexpectedthatthemajorityoftheCECwillapprovethecurrentroundof disqualification motions, since the CEC is composed of the political parties that are

represented in the previous Knesset. Most of these parties are rightwing and hostiletowardstherightsofArabcitizenstoequalpoliticalparticipation.


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Importantelectiondatesregardingdisqualificationmotions

06December2012: DeadlineforsubmittinglistsofcandidatestoCEC

13December2012: DeadlineforsubmittingdisqualificationmotionstoCEC

17December2012: Deadlineforresponsestodisqualificationmotions

19December2012: CEChearingfordeliberationondisqualificationmotions23December2012: DeadlineforannouncingCECsdecisionsindisqualification

motions

25December2012: DeadlineforsubmittingappealstotheSupremeCourtonCECs

decisions

30December2012: DeadlineforSupremeCourtsdecisionsinappealsonCECsdecisions

22January2013: Electionday

HistoricalbackgroundofArabparticipationinKnessetelections

PalestinianArabcitizensofIsraelhaveruninandbeenelectedtoeveryKnessetsincethefirst Knesset elections in 1949. One Arab party, the Democratic List of Nazareth, won

enough seatstocrossthebasicthreshold in1949,taking two seats. Untilthe1960s, all

ArabpartiesintheKnessetwereaffiliatedwithMapai,therulingparty,aforerunneroftheLaborparty,whichdidnotacceptArabmembersitself.In1965,thefirstattemptwasmade

by an independent Arab list to run for Knesset elections, with the AlArd movement

forming the United Arab List. However, the list was banned by the Central ElectionsCommitteeandtheIsraeliSupremeCourt(intheYardorcasenotedabove)ontheground

thatitden[ied]theintegrityoftheStateofIsraelanditsveryexistence.Thisdecisionwasarbitraryasitwasnotbasedonanyevidenceoranylaw,havingbeentakenintheperiod

predatingtheenactmentofArticle7AoftheBasicLaw:TheKnesset.

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Questions and Answers Israeli Elections Arab Parliamentarians 2012