Marzel, Gopstein, and Ben Ari
Marzel, Gopstein, and Ben AriEliran Aharon

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit submitted his position Tuesday (Tuesday) to the Central Election Committee for the 22nd Knesset regarding a number of petitions not to approve lists and candidates in the upcoming elections.

The Attorney General stated that his position is to accept the petitions against the candidacies of Otzma Yehudit candidates Baruch Marzel and Bentzi Gopstein and to disqualify them from running. However, he did not recommend disqualifying Otzma leader Itamar Ben Gvir and the party as a whole.

The Attorney General also believes that the petitions to disqualify the lists of the Yesh Atid and Joint Arab List be rejected outright.

Mandelblit wrote that while there is more evidence against Ben Gvir than there was prior to the last elections, the evidence is not sufficient to justify banning him from running for the Knesset.

However, Mandelblit said that the evidence of Marzel and Gopstein is similar in severity and scope to the plea in the case of Dr. Michael Ben Ari, whose candidacy for the 21st Knesset was disqualified by the High Court of Justice.

The positions were filed through the Attorney General's Office by Attorney Anar Helman, and Attorney Udi Eitan, Jonathan Nadav and Jonathan Berman of his department.