High Court Rejects Petition to Disqualify Otzma Yehudit from 2026 Elections
The High Court of Justice rejected a petition by "The Democrats" to disqualify "Otzma Yehudit" and Itamar Ben Gvir from the 2026 Knesset elections, citing procedural flaws and significant delays.
The High Court of Justice has rejected a petition filed by "The Democrats" party seeking to disqualify the "Otzma Yehudit" party from running in the upcoming elections for the 26th Knesset.
The petition, submitted on September 29, 2026, also alternatively requested the disqualification of outgoing Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir and outgoing Knesset Member Tali Gotliv from participating in the elections.
Court Ruling and Legal Grounds
Presiding Justices Ofer Grosskopf, Daphne Barak-Erez, and Khaled Kabub stated that the petitioners alleged the party and its prominent figures met the disqualification criteria under Article 7A of the Basic Law: The Knesset, specifically regarding the negation of Israel's existence as a Jewish and democratic state and incitement to racism.
However, the justices ruled that the petitioners failed to meet the necessary procedural burdens, bypassing standard appellate routes and failing to coordinate with the Attorney General before approaching the court.
"The petition was submitted more than two weeks after the Central Election Committee chairman's decision, creating a significant delay given the tight timeframe required for approving candidate lists ahead of the elections," the ruling noted.
Implications for the 2026 Elections
With the rejection of the petition, "Otzma Yehudit" and its leaders remain cleared to contest the general elections scheduled for October 27, 2026. The court emphasized that electoral disqualification petitions require strict adherence to procedural timelines to ensure the democratic process proceeds without disruption.
