Knesset Committee Chairman Solberg Backs Down After Barring Bereaved Families
Bereaved families petitioning to disqualify the RAAM party were initially barred from a Knesset election committee hearing, sparking a tense confrontation with Chairman Noam Solberg before MK intervention secured their entry.
A tense confrontation erupted at the Central Elections Committee in the Knesset on Wednesday as representatives of the "Choosing Life" forum—bereaved families who initiated the petition to disqualify the RAAM party—were initially barred from entering the hearing hall. The families confronted committee chairman Supreme Court Justice Noam Solberg directly over the exclusion. Only after heavy pressure and insistence from committee members, led by MKs Amit Halevi and Ofir Katz, did Solberg reverse his decision and allow four forum representatives to enter.
Disqualification Petitions Against RAAM
The incident took place minutes before the opening of the hearing regarding disqualification motions against RAAM, submitted by the bereaved families alongside Likud and Otzma Yehudit. The families addressed Solberg sharply, asking how he could prevent them from entering a hearing they initiated and requested. They protested that RAAM representatives were permitted to sit comfortably inside the hall while those who gathered evidence and signed affidavits were forced to wait outside.
Supreme Court Rejection and Knesset Intervention
The altercation marked the peak of a persistent struggle over recent days. The "Choosing Life" forum had demanded limited physical presence, but Solberg rejected the request, citing space limitations in the hall, security needs, and a fear of inflamed passions. The families petitioned the High Court of Justice, which backed Solberg, but on-site pressure and MK intervention ultimately forced a policy shift, enabling the bereaved representatives to attend the proceedings.
