The Central Elections Committee voted to bar the Arab Balad party from running in the elections for the 25th Knesset in November.
Nine committee members voted to disqualify Balad, while five voted to allow the party to continue to run in the elections. Right-wing parties boycotted the vote, while the National Unity party representatives voted to disqualify Balad.
The party is expected to petition the Supreme Court against its disqualification, as it holds the opinion of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara that there is no reason to disqualify the party.
The Religious Zionism party responded to the decision and said: "Today's discussion in the election committee has no meaning because the Supreme Court will in any case legalize the running of the Arab parties that support terrorism. Religious Zionism, along with the entire national camp, will not be part of this game of pretend."
"The Supreme Court has become a political player which did and is doing everything to harm the right and continue the rule of the left and the Arabs. We will bring real change after the elections, we will outlaw the Arab parties that support terrorism and we will put an end to the rule of the Supreme Court", the party said.
The Balad party has been barred from running in Knesset elections by the Central Elections Committee in 2009 and 2019. Both times the Supreme Court overturned the committee's decision and allowed the party to run.