Israel's Supreme Court overturned a ban Thursday on two Arab candidates for parliament in the January 28 general election and banned Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz from running.
A court statement found against an elections parliamentary committee recommendation to bar Ahmed Tibi and Azmi Bishara and his Balad party from the ballot, a statement said.
The court also rejected a petition by Mofaz, a former chief of staff, to be allowed to run despite not satisfying a mandatory "cooling off period" for high-ranking former army officers to go into politics, Israel Radio reported.
Additionally, the court upheld the decision to allow far-right activist Baruch Marzel to run.
Ahmed Tibi told Army Radio that he was extremely happy with the decision and praised the Court for "blocking the anti-democratic avalanche of the right-wing."
On his part, Bishara told reporters "there was no legal aspect whatsoever to the (ban) decision." Bishara also accused the right-wing political parties of presenting the original complaints against the Arab candidates in order to get publicity. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
