TEL AVIV, November 28, 2024 (WAFA) – Haaretz, the Israeli newspaper, said that the Israeli government "is trying to exclude the Palestinians of 1948 territories from participating in the elections, by enacting racist laws in the Knesset."

The Palestinians of the 1948 occupied territories constitute more than 20% of the population, and they are represented by several parties in the Israeli Knesset, in addition to heading municipalities and local councils in Palestinian towns within the 1948 territories.

Yesterday, the Knesset approved in the first reading a bill submitted by a member of the right-wing Israel Beiteinu party, Oded Forer, along with other members of the Likud party, which prevents any candidate or list from running in municipal elections if the goals of the candidate or list do not recognize Israel as a "Jewish state."

"The bill, which limits the right of the Palestinians of '48 to vote and run in municipal elections, passed a preliminary vote, joining its ugly twin, the proposal, which relates to expanding the grounds for excluding parties and candidates from the Palestinians of '48 from the Knesset elections as part of an amendment to the Basic Law of the Knesset," Haaretz said in its editorial on Thursday.

The Knesset said in a press release that the bill passed a preliminary reading with a majority of 36 MKs and the opposition of 10 MKs (out of 120 members).

K.T