Rights9/7/2026

How Parties and Candidates Are Disqualified from Knesset Elections in Israel

The political wing of the Central Elections Committee may vote to disqualify a list or an individual candidate, but it does not always have the final say. A decision concerning a candidate requires approval by the Supreme Court, while a decision concerning a party list may be appealed there.

Key facts

•Body: Israel’s Central Elections Committee
•Court: Supreme Court of Israel, also sitting as the High Court of Justice
•September 2022: Balad disqualified by a 9–5 vote
•Less than a month later, Balad’s disqualification was overturned unanimously
•2019: Supreme Court barred Michael Ben-Ari from running
•Legal basis: Basic Law: The Knesset, Section 7A

Who Makes the Decision

The plenum of the Central Elections Committee is composed of representatives of the factions in the outgoing Knesset and reflects the political balance of power. However, the committee also includes a legal branch headed by a Supreme Court justice and a professional, nonpartisan staff. The committee has a special independent status and is not subordinate to government ministries.

How Judicial Review Works

If the committee disqualifies an individual candidate, the decision must be submitted to the Supreme Court for approval; without such approval, it does not take effect. When an entire list is disqualified, prior approval is not required, but the list may petition the High Court of Justice. Conversely, if the committee allows a list to run, the decision may be challenged by the attorney general, the committee chair, or at least one-quarter of its members.

When Disqualification Is Possible

The Supreme Court applies a strict constitutional standard of proof. Under the approach cited in the source, clear, unequivocal, and convincing evidence is required that the prohibited objective is dominant and current, and that there is a real possibility of its realization. Disqualification is therefore regarded as an exceptional measure and depends on the evidence in the specific case, rather than on the candidate’s affiliation with a political camp.

How the Court Reversed Committee Decisions

In September 2022, the committee voted nine to five to disqualify the Balad list, but less than a month later the Supreme Court unanimously overturned the decision. Balad participated in the elections but did not cross the electoral threshold. The opposite occurred in 2019: the committee allowed Michael Ben-Ari to run, but the Supreme Court, by a majority vote, barred his participation due to incitement to racism and violence.

The Attempt to Change the Rules Failed

In January 2023, Likud MK Ofir Katz proposed an amendment to Section 7A intended to limit Supreme Court intervention and expand the grounds for disqualification. After a delay due to the war, the proposal was considered by the Ministerial Committee on Legislation in October 2024. The committee rejected it, so the existing procedure and structure of the Central Elections Committee remained unchanged.

What this means for you

Voters should not regard a vote by the committee’s political majority as a final prohibition on a party or candidate’s participation. Supreme Court review is mandatory for a candidate, while a decision concerning a list may be appealed; the court evaluates the specific evidence under a strict standard. The proposal to narrow such review was not adopted.

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