Israel’s Supreme Court ruled Friday that Ra’am, the Joint List and MK Ofer Cassif will be permitted to run in the upcoming elections for the 26th Knesset, overturning decisions by the Central Elections Committee to disqualify them.

The justices unanimously overturned the disqualifications of Ra’am and the Joint List.

The ruling regarding Cassif was not unanimous, with Justices David Mintz and Alex Stein dissenting. The court noted that all members of the panel strongly disapproved of statements and actions by Cassif, describing them as “outrageous” and saying they “arouse disgust.”

Meanwhile, Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh withdrew his candidacy after Supreme Court justices recommended that he do so.

Abu Shehadeh sent a letter Friday morning to Central Elections Committee chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg formally notifying him that he was withdrawing his candidacy from the party list.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)