Arab Radicals Part of Israeli Democracy

"Israel: High Court Rules for Arab Parties"
A15, Thursday 1/22/09, World Briefing
By Isabel Kershner

This short brief does a fair job explaining why Israel’s Central Elections Committee voted to ban United Arab List and Balad: support for terrorism and the refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. One shouldn't expect a brief to cover all the sordid details of these party's leaders, like Azmi Bishara's work with Hezbollah, or platforms, like pushing rejection of national service. Nevertheless, an article likely would've done these issues little justice.

It’s also important that there was no reference to Israel Beitenu and National Union, two right-wing parties who filed the petitions with the Committee, lest a mainstream concern for these parties’ radicalism and its irreparable harm be relegated as right-wing.