The Supreme Court has cleared its schedule in order to prepare for the Tuesday hearings on appeals regarding Baruch Marzel, Sha'ul Mofaz, Moshe Feiglin, Ahmed Tibi, and Azmi Bishara. The last four have appealed decisions by the Elections Commission to disqualify their candidacies for the Knesset in the upcoming elections, while two Labor Party MKs have appealed the decision to allow Marzel to run.
Defense Minister Mofaz's candidacy was invalidated on the grounds that he did not fulfill the required six-month cooling off period after he retired as IDF Chief of Staff. Mofaz contends that the six-month period should be calculated from the date on which he finished active duty, and not from the date he formally retired from the army. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who appointed Mofaz as Defense Minister when the national unity government fell apart over two months ago, has said that he would retain Mofaz as Defense Minister even if he is not a Knesset Member. The Prime Minister has given his support to Mofaz's appeal, however.
The Supreme Court will hear the appeals on Tuesday before a panel of eleven judges, and the decisions must be handed down, according to law, by Thursday. Most petitions are argued before a panel of only three judges, and the larger forum is an indication that the court considers the case to have significant public and legal ramifications.
Feiglin, leader of the Likud's Jewish Leadership faction, was disqualified by Elections Committee head Judge Michael Cheshin on the grounds that his conviction for organizing protests against the Rabin government and the Oslo process involved a "crime of moral turpitude." People convicted of such crimes may not run for public office before seven years have passed. Feiglin will appeal the judge's decision to place his conviction in the above category. He and others have said that the judge's decision, and not his own conviction, is a "mark of shame."
The Court will also hear on Tuesday petitions by the two disqualified Arab candidates, MKs Azmi Bishara and Ahmed Tibi. The former was disqualified for having expressed support for Hamas and Hizbullah, and for negating the Jewish character of the State of Israel. Tibi, too, has made similar comments.
Finally, the Elections Committee decision not to accept Hon. Cheshin's recommendation to disqualify Baruch Marzel of Hevron is being challenged by Labor Party MKs Pines and Oshaya. Marzel is currently #2 on Michael Kleiner's Herut Party list. Cheshin, Pines and Oshaya say that Marzel is a member of the illegal Kach party, but Marzel denies this. He has released a CD featuring his claims that the judicial establishment has long persecuted him.
Defense Minister Mofaz's candidacy was invalidated on the grounds that he did not fulfill the required six-month cooling off period after he retired as IDF Chief of Staff. Mofaz contends that the six-month period should be calculated from the date on which he finished active duty, and not from the date he formally retired from the army. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who appointed Mofaz as Defense Minister when the national unity government fell apart over two months ago, has said that he would retain Mofaz as Defense Minister even if he is not a Knesset Member. The Prime Minister has given his support to Mofaz's appeal, however.
The Supreme Court will hear the appeals on Tuesday before a panel of eleven judges, and the decisions must be handed down, according to law, by Thursday. Most petitions are argued before a panel of only three judges, and the larger forum is an indication that the court considers the case to have significant public and legal ramifications.
Feiglin, leader of the Likud's Jewish Leadership faction, was disqualified by Elections Committee head Judge Michael Cheshin on the grounds that his conviction for organizing protests against the Rabin government and the Oslo process involved a "crime of moral turpitude." People convicted of such crimes may not run for public office before seven years have passed. Feiglin will appeal the judge's decision to place his conviction in the above category. He and others have said that the judge's decision, and not his own conviction, is a "mark of shame."
The Court will also hear on Tuesday petitions by the two disqualified Arab candidates, MKs Azmi Bishara and Ahmed Tibi. The former was disqualified for having expressed support for Hamas and Hizbullah, and for negating the Jewish character of the State of Israel. Tibi, too, has made similar comments.
Finally, the Elections Committee decision not to accept Hon. Cheshin's recommendation to disqualify Baruch Marzel of Hevron is being challenged by Labor Party MKs Pines and Oshaya. Marzel is currently #2 on Michael Kleiner's Herut Party list. Cheshin, Pines and Oshaya say that Marzel is a member of the illegal Kach party, but Marzel denies this. He has released a CD featuring his claims that the judicial establishment has long persecuted him.