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Palestinian citizens of Israel could be a “game-changer” in the country’s Oct. 27 parliamentary elections, Hadash lawmaker Ofer Cassif told Anadolu Agency.
“Everybody understands that the game changer is the Palestinian vote, the Palestinian citizens in Israel. I mean, not in the occupied territories,” Cassif said, noting that Palestinian Arabs account for about 20% of Israel’s citizens.
Cassif, a Jewish lawmaker who has sharply criticised Israel’s policies toward Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip, is facing an attempt to prevent him from standing in the election. The Central Elections Committee voted 18-5 to disqualify his candidacy following a motion submitted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party.
The committee also approved decisions to disqualify parties representing Palestinian citizens. Israel’s Supreme Court will make the final decision on whether Cassif can participate in the election.
Cassif calls for Netanyahu’s removal
Cassif said Netanyahu was determined to remain in power and was doing everything possible to achieve that. He described the prime minister as a “criminal psychopath who cares only about himself”.
Referring to corruption cases against Netanyahu and an arrest warrant issued for him by the International Criminal Court, Cassif said the prime minister feared being arrested.
“Everybody should understand that Netanyahu should go away. His government should go away,” he said.
Cassif warned that another election victory for Netanyahu’s government could result in severe bloodshed.
“If they don’t, if they win again, that may lead to a terrible bloodshed that we’ve never experienced, not even on the 7th of October and afterwards,” he said.
Lawmakers expect court to overturn bans
Cassif said two lists and two candidates representing Palestinian citizens had been disqualified, arguing that the decisions were intended to prevent them from influencing the election.
“They know that we are the game changer, and they want to block us, because they know that if we are out of the game, they will hold to power forever,” he said.
“There’s no chance to foil Netanyahu’s gang without us,” Cassif added.
He said he expected the Supreme Court to overturn all or nearly all of the disqualification decisions.
Cassif also linked the bans to Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza, saying they undermined claims that Israel was “the only democracy in the Middle East”.
“There have always been democratic procedures and democratic elements in Israel,” he said, while arguing that the country had never possessed a fully democratic structure and character.
Since October 2023, Israel’s military operation in Gaza has killed more than 73,000 people and wounded over 174,000, while destroying 90% of the enclave’s infrastructure, according to the source. The attacks have continued despite a ceasefire that has been in effect since last October.
