Israel election commission moves to bar Arab parties; court blocks

Israel's Central Elections Committee has disqualified the United Arab List, Ra'am, the Joint List, and lawmakers Ofer Cassif and Sami Abu Shehadeh from the upcoming Knesset election. This decision, confirmed by multiple sources, is pending review by the Supreme Court, which has historically overturned such disqualifications. The move significantly escalates pre-election political maneuvering and raises concerns about democratic representation and minority rights.