You will be able to: Tonight (Sunday), the Supreme Court reversed the decision of the Central Election Commission to disqualify the candidacy of politician Ibtisam Mara’ana-Menuhin in the context of the elections to the 24th Knesset. Mara’ana-Menuhin, who was elected to the Labor Party-led list by Merav Michaeli in the primaries held at the beginning of the civil year, apologized for problematic statements heard from her in the past.
In its ruling, Supreme Court President Esther Hayut wrote: “Some of these statements – such as her statement regarding non-compliance with the siren – are disgusting, but they are not statements that unequivocally, clearly and convincingly testify to the denial of the nuclear characteristics of the State of Israel as a state. Jewish girl'”.
Judge Dafna Barak Erez wrote: “Candidacy in elections is not an ‘award’ given only to exemplary citizens or only to those whose opinions are desirable to others. This is how the discussion in this case begins, and to a large extent even ends there.”
Maraana-Menuhin wrote on her Twitter account: “I am very happy with the Supreme Court’s decision. Come to work – for democracy, women, the Jewish-Arab partnership, for human rights regardless of gender, nationality or sexual orientation.”
Very pleased with the decision of the Supreme Court.
Come to work: for democracy, women, the Jewish-Arab partnership, for human rights regardless of gender, nationality or sexual orientation.– Ibtisam Mara’ana Menuhin (@IbtisamMaraana) February 28, 2021
The Labor Party also responded to the decision: “The Supreme Court has spoken. Candidate Ibtisam Marana Menuhin expressed remorse for what she wrote more than a decade ago. We see the affair behind us and are preparing to build a new future for the State of Israel; a future of connecting and sharing Israeli society “.
The storm and the criticism
“If I were not an Arab, would I snatch what I snatch? Would they tell me a terrorist? I am on an Arab standard,” Mara’ana-Menuhin said in an interview she gave about a week ago. She also claimed that she could represent a Zionist party and stressed: “I believe in the existence of the state in which I live.” She said she came to the Labor Party because of her appreciation for the chairwoman, Merav Michaeli, as well as for the status of women in general and in Arab society in particular, which motivated her to enter the political arena in the first place.
Merav Michaeli (Photo: Avshalom Shashoni)As mentioned, a member of the Labor Party, Maozia Segal, petitioned the Central Election Commission to disqualify her from the party’s list for the Knesset, due to “her disbelieving positions in the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state and her support for terrorist acts,” he said.