Israel's top court disqualifies far-right candidate from elections over suspected racism

Israel's Supreme Court disqualified on Sunday a far-right candidate accused of racism from the general elections in early April.

The court said in a statement that Michael Ben-Ari, a candidate with the Union of Right-Wing Parties, a union of ultra-nationalist parties, cannot run for the national elections.

In a legal opinion submitted to the court, the Attorney General's Office said Ben-Ari should be disqualified.

"His statements indicate (a racist) relation to the Arab public in general and to those involved in terrorist activity," the office said.

Meanwhile, it cleared the Arab party of Balad for elections.

The ruling overturns the decision of the Central Elections Committee, Israel's election board, which banned Balad and qualified Ben-Ari earlier this month.

Balad party calls for turning Israel into a "state of all its citizens," with Arabs, which comprise about 20 percent of the Israeli population, treated as equal citizens.

At a press conference, Ben-Ari, an adherent of Meir Kahana, a late anti-Arab rabbi, slammed the supreme court as "a junta that tries to take over the rule in Israel."

Israel's elections will be held on April 9. 

(Cover: Michael Ben-Ari from the Jewish Power party delivers a statement to the media together with his party's members, Baruch Marzel and Itamar Ben-Gvir in Jerusalem, March 17, 2019. /Reuters Photo)

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)