Full Breakdown
Israeli Supreme Court Overturns Ban on Arab Parties Ahead of Oct. 27 Knesset Election
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On October 2 2026 Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that the Central Elections Committee’s decision to bar the United Arab List (Ra’am) and the Joint List from the upcoming parliamentary election was unlawful. The justices voted unanimously to restore the two Arab lists to the ballot and, by a 7-2 margin, reinstated Hadash MK Ofer Cassif. Supreme Court President Yitzhak Amit warned Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh that a majority of the nine justices favored his disqualification and gave him until the following day to withdraw, which he did.
Background & Context
The Central Elections Committee, whose members are appointed by the parties of the outgoing Knesset, voted 18-5 in September 2025 to bar Ra’am, the Joint List, Cassif and Abu Shehadeh. The petitions were filed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Jewish Power party.
Key Figures & Groups
- Mansour Abbas – leader of Ra’am.
- Yusuf Jabareen – head of the Joint List.
- Ofer Cassif – Hadash MK.
- Sami Abu Shehadeh – Balad chairman.
- Itamar Ben-Gvir – National Security Minister.
- Gali Baharav-Miara – Attorney-General.
- Yitzhak Amit – Supreme Court President.
Timeline
- Sept 23 2025 – CEC votes to disqualify the Arab lists and Cassif.
- Oct 1 2026 – Supreme Court hearing on the appeals.
- Oct 2 2026 – Court overturns the bans; Abu Shehadeh withdraws.
- Oct 27 – Knesset election.
Data & Statistics
- Arab citizens make up roughly 20 % of Israel’s 10 million population (~2 million people).
- Polls project the Arab parties will win 12-14 seats in the 120-member Knesset, below the 61-seat majority threshold.
- Ra’am currently holds five seats and served in a governing coalition in 2021.
Official Statements & Responses
In the Cassif case, the majority of justices said his statements, while “revolting,” did not reach the “critical mass” needed for disqualification. Attorney-General Baharav-Miara argued that Abu Shehadeh’s October 8 2023 article, published during the Hamas attack, constituted “support for armed struggle.”
Criticism & Opposition
Balad’s leadership called the court’s suggestion that Abu Shehadeh withdraw “political persecution” and said the process showed a “double standard” compared with right-wing politicians who remain on the ballot.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Polls differ on the Arab-party seat count: some project 12 seats, others 12-14. No source provides a definitive figure for the post-election coalition composition, leaving the extent of Ra’am’s potential “kingmaker” role uncertain.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The same Central Election Committee that disqualified me for an article refused to disqualify all the extreme right-wing racist politicians with all the serious files that were against them,” — Sami Abu Shehadeh.
What’s Next
With the Arab lists cleared to run, the October 27 election will determine whether any bloc secures an outright majority. Analysts note that if neither Likud nor the opposition reaches 61 seats, the Ra’am party could become decisive in coalition talks, either joining a government or supporting one from the outside. The Supreme Court’s decision therefore shapes ballot access and the balance of power in Israel’s forthcoming parliamentary term.