Supreme Court Rejects Petition to Disqualify Jewish Power Party

The Supreme Court rejected on Thursday a petition filed by Israel Policy Forum, Moshe 'Bogie' Yaalon and other petitioners to disqualify the Jewish Power list from running in the 26th Knesset elections, after the Central Elections Committee had already rejected the disqualification requests filed against it.

The Supreme Court rejected on Thursday a petition filed by Israel Policy Forum for Civil Rights, former Defense Minister and IDF Chief of Staff Moshe 'Bogie' Yaalon and other petitioners who sought to disqualify the Jewish Power list from running in the 26th Knesset elections. According to the report, Jewish Power is not disqualified following this petition from running in the elections.

The proceeding began earlier this month with a request to the Central Elections Committee, filed by Israel Policy Forum along with Yaalon, former Internal Security Minister Omer Bar-Lev, former Minister Gal Gamliel, Prof. Fiona Radai and diplomat Yoram Ben-Zeev. The petitioners based their request on Section 7A of the Basic Law: The Knesset, and claimed that the actions and statements of the list's members constitute grounds for denying the existence of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state and incitement to racism.

Last week the Central Elections Committee rejected two requests to disqualify Jewish Power, one from the Democrats and one from Israel Policy Forum: 19 committee members opposed disqualification, 10 supported it and one abstained. At an earlier stage, requests for the personal disqualification of Itamar Ben Gvir, Tali Gotlob, Limor Son Har Melech and Hanamal Dorfman were dismissed, after the required signature requirements were not met.

In the committee discussion, Jewish Power Chairman Itamar Ben Gvir rejected the claims against his party and argued that some are based on claims dozens of years old. Tali Gotlob argued that the request stems from the party's strengthening in polls.