Supreme Court hearing on ban made during war on two Arab parties скачать в хорошем качестве

Supreme Court hearing on ban made during war on two Arab parties

(20 Jan 2009) 1. Pan from Israeli flags to Israel Supreme Court entrance 2. Exterior of court with sign, reading (Hebrew/Arabic/English) "The Supreme Court" 3. Knesset member Avigdor Lieberman from Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel Our House) walking inside Supreme Court 4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Avigdor Lieberman, Knesset member for Yisrael Beiteinu: "The matter is, the question is if you support the terror, and I hope that this Supreme Court confirms the previous decision of Knesset to kick out from our parliament this terror organisation in our Knesset." 5. Jamal Zahalka, Knesset member for Balad party (one of two parties that have been banned) talking to media 6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jamal Zahalka, Knesset member for Balad party: "It's a paradox that Mr. Avigdor Lieberman, who called to throw a nuclear weapon in Gaza and to destroy a nation, is legitimate and can run to (in) the parliament, but us who are demanding full equality in the framework of the state for all citizens, which is the real democracy, we are banned and (they are) not allowing us to run in the parliament. I think the Supreme Court will cancel the decision of the elections committee because it was a decision taken not for law considerations but for political consideration." 7. Wide of hall at Supreme Court with lawmakers and officials STORYLINE: Israel's Supreme Court held a discussion on Tuesday to review parliament's decision to ban two Israeli Arab parties from running in next month's parliamentary elections. The decision taken by parliament's Central Election Committee earlier this month, reflected the heightened tensions between Israel's Jewish majority and Arab minority caused by Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip. Arabs have held a series of demonstrations against the offensive. Ra'am Ta'al and Balad were banned on January 12 by the Central Election Committee. The measure was proposed by two ultranationalist parties but received widespread support. On Tuesday Avigdor Lieberman, Knesset member for the ultranationalist Yisrael Beiteinu accused the country's Arab parties of supporting extremist groups and said he hoped that the Supreme Court would agree with the decision to "kick out" the Arab parties from the parliament. Jamal Zahalka, Knesset member for Balad party reacted by calling the situation a "paradox". "Mr. Avigdor Lieberman, who called to throw a nuclear weapon in Gaza and to destroy a nation, is legitimate...but us who are demanding full equality in the framework of the state for all citizens, which is the real democracy, we are banned," Zahalka told reporters at the Supreme Court. The decision does not affect Arab lawmakers in predominantly Jewish parties or the country's communist party, Hadash, which has a mixed list of Arab and Jewish candidates. Roughly one-fifth of Israel's seven (m) million citizens are Arabs. Israeli Arabs enjoy full citizenship rights, but have suffered from discrimination and poverty for decades. Arab lawmakers from both parties (or blocs) in parliament, have both condemned the decision. Together, the Arab lists hold seven of the 120 seats in the Knesset, or parliament. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...