JERUSALEM (JTA) — Two Arab parties banned from upcoming national elections in Israel filed an appeal.
Balad and United Arab List-Ta’al, the two largest Arab parties in Israel, on Monday appealed last week’s decision by the Central Election Committee to Israel’s Supreme Court.
Attorneys from Adalah, the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, prepared the 500-page appeal.
The Arab parties were disqualified based on three petitions claiming that they do not recognize Israel as the Jewish homeland and call for armed conflict against Israel. The Supreme Court has overturned decisions against Balad in previous elections.
According to the appeal, it is "extremely unreasonable" to demand that party lawmakers show loyalty to Zionism.
Arab voters could boycott the Feb. 10 elections if the parties are not allowed to field candidates.
