(October 2, 2026)
In a decision announced on Friday, the court allowed the Joint-Listâconsisting of Hadash, Ta‘al and Balad – alongside Ra‘am, as well as Hadash MK Ofer Cassif, to run in the upcoming election set for 27 October.
(October 2, 2026)
In a decision announced on Friday, the court allowed the Joint-Listâconsisting of Hadash, Ta‘al and Balad – alongside Ra‘am, as well as Hadash MK Ofer Cassif, to run in the upcoming election set for 27 October.
(September 26, 2026)
Israelâs Central Elections Committee has voted to bar the countryâs two main Arab-majority political lists from next monthâs parliamentary election, potentially leaving Palestinian citizens of Israel without their principal representatives in the Israeli parliament, the Knesset.
The committee also voted to disqualify Ofer Cassif, a Jewish politician from the Arab-Jewish Hadash party, and Sami Abu Shehadeh, the leader of the Palestinian nationalist Balad party.
Israel‘s Central Elections Committee (CEC) has barred all of the countryâs Arab parties from running in the Knesset elections in October.
The committee, which is made up of representatives from major political parties, including MKs, voted to exclude the entire Joint List, which is made up of the Balad, Hadash, and Taâal parties, as well as the Raâam party.
In sixth place on the list is incumbent Member of Knesset Dr. Ofer Cassif, who has represented Hadash in the Knesset since 2019. Cassif, who lives in Rehovot, has distinguished himself in recent years through grassroots field activity against the occupation of the Palestinian territories, the war against the Palestinian people in Gaza and social struggles, alongside his extensive parliamentary work.
(August 21, 2026)
The leadership of the Joint Lis, including the allianceâs chairman, Prof. Yousef Jabareen, MK Dr. Ahmad Tibi, and former MK Sami Abu Shehadeh, alongside Hadash MK Ofer Cassif and Joint List candidate Jafar Farah (Hadash), met in Tel-Aviv on Thursday, August 20, with more than twenty European Union ambassadors to Israel. This marks the Joint Listâs first diplomatic meeting since the announcement of its formation.
(August 21, 2026)
We highlighted the grave threats facing the integrity and fairness of elections in Israel, specifically the political persecution of parties and parliamentarians representing Arab citizens, alongside racist attempts to undermine their legitimacy.
We also addressed the expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank and the escalation of state terror against Palestinians, carried out by settler milicias with military cooperation and protection and in blunt violation of international law.
We have commenced the meeting by emphasizing the vital role of the European Union and its Member States in combating racism, advancing democratic norms and human rights, and promoting an immediate end to the occupation to achieve a just peace.
Cassif eventually reached the families and expressed his support.
Louai Ridi, a Palestinian American, has been effectively trapped on his property since settlers first arrived in the area on Aug. 9. The settlers pitched a tent surrounding Ridiâs home before cutting water pipes and electricity lines and blocking roads leading to his property, making it extremely difficult for the Ridi family and other residents to go about the area.
Videos posted by Cassif, Zo Haderekh and the Palestinian families have brought international attention to the standoff, creating an unusual degree of pressure on the Israeli government and its military.
Israeli soldiers blocked Knesset member Ofer Cassif from reaching a Palestinian family home in the occupied West Bank village of Qusra, where settlers have maintained a 17-day siege.
Cassif eventually reached the families and expressed his support.
The three parties last ran together in 2021, along with the Islamist Raâam party headed by Mansour Abbas. But Raâam decided to break off months before the election and run independently. Raâam won four seats and joined the Naftali Bennett-Yair Lapid coalition.
âIn the coming weeks,â Jabareen wrote in a post to X/Twitter on Wednesday evening, âwe will work with all our strength to increase voter turnout among the entire public and ensure that the Netanyahu, Ben Gvir, Smotrich government does not return to power.â âThis is not only our mission, but also the mission of everyone who seeks to change the difficult reality in which we live.â According to a Maariv poll published last Friday the Joint List would win eight seats.
Following that meeting, MK Odeh stated, âI met with UN Secretary-General Guterres. I thanked him for his principled stances during this difficult time and made it clear that the war of destruction in Gaza must be ended through a comprehensive deal. I emphasized that there is no solution other than ending the occupation and establishing a Palestinian state alongside the State of Israel. It is the duty of the international community to recognize this right, and the UN plays a pivotal role in correcting this historical injustice.â He stressed, âThere is no other way but the path of peace and justice.â
(June 8, 2026)
âThe time has come to stop providing automatic backing for destructive policies that lead to endless bloodshed, and instead fight for diplomatic agreements, true security, and peace. No to war with Iran. No to Netanyahuâs eternal war.â
According to Hadash MK Ayman Odeh, âWar is the last resort for those who have no answers. War is the last resort of those who fear facing reality. And no one fears reality more than the Israeli government and large segments of the opposition, who repeatedly rush to align themselves behind the government, even attempting to outflank from the right the most right-wing and dangerous government in the countryâs history.â
âWere they truly brave, rather than warmongers, they would call for an immediate halt to the escalation and present an alternative to the public. And the alternative is clear: a peaceful agreement that ensures security for all peoples in the region and respects the national rights of both nations living on this land. It is impossible to keep running away from this issue. It is impossible to keep fearing to speak the truth. It is impossible to keep falling for the illusion that more wars will bring security. Therefore, I say here in the clearest possible way: No to war with Iran. No to the eternal war. Yes, to a peaceful agreement. Yes, to a different, safer, and more just future for all of us,â he agreed.
âThere is not really an opposition in Israel when it comes to wars. When it comes to wars, to occupation, to apartheid, there is no opposition,â Gideon Levy, a columnist at Israeli newspaper Haaretz, told Al Jazeera.
âThey all think the same. There is an opposition to Netanyahu in person, a very devoted one, a very decisive one. But not against the wars,â he added.
According to Jabareen, âThe dissolution of the Joint List in 2021 was a severe mistake that cost the Arab public political power and influence. Today, everyone understands this.â He added that despite ideological gaps with Raâam, âThe price of running separately will be unbearableâa drop in voter turnout and the continuation of the far-right rule.â He also emphasized that intensive talks are underway to reach agreements: âWe are doing everything we can to bring hope back to our public.â
Representatives from Hadash and two Arab partiers, Balad, and Taâal held a joint meeting last night to accelerate the reunification of the Joint List and remove obstacles toward an agreement. The three parties emphasized their consensus on core political issues and highlighted the importance of ongoing political and parliamentary coordination after the elections.
In a joint statement, the parties declared: âWe would like Raâam to be a partner in the political agreement, but we are aware of the significant gaps between our positions regarding the character and path of the Joint List. Nevertheless, recognizing the importance of unity against existential threats, the parties expressed willingness to reach an agreement with Raâam based on a âtechnical joint listâ for the elections, aiming to raise voter turnout, strengthen Arab representation, and topple the far-right government.â
Earlier, a similar bill to dissolve the Knesset, introduced by the Hadash faction, was debated but failed, with 52 opposition lawmakers voting in favor and 61 against. âThe worst government ever, responsible for bloodshed on a horrific scale, is coming to an end,â MK Ayman Odeh stated in the Knesset plenum while presenting his factionâs bill. âWe are at a historic crossroads,â he emphasized
Moreover, we have allies in Israel and around the world, who share the same fundamental political goals we strive for â self-determination for the Palestinian people, the end of the occupation, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, and the rejection of all discrimination against Palestinians in Israel. Some of these allies consider themselves Zionist, because they subscribe to a minimalist understanding of Zionism â self-determination for a Jewish collective in Israel. This right was recognized by the international community in the 1947 partition plan of Palestine and was realized by the state of Israel itself.
We do not reject this right, yet as Friedrich Engels said: âA people which oppresses another cannot emancipate itself.â Israel is still preventing the right of self-determination for Palestinians â the right for an independent Palestinian state with real borders and an end to the suffering. We need to work together with those who believe in the rights of both peoples â and some of them are Zionists.
We also know that when a political solution is achieved, it will not be after Jewish Israelis reject Zionism, but when they decide that their collective and individual interests lie on the side of peace. We are materialists â we assert that Zionism, the ideology, will only be overcome after we begin to dismantle its material basis â that of apartheid and colonization.
Therefore, our focus must remain on practical actions against this reality â and not symbolic politics of denunciation. In the German case, this means advocating for concrete actions such as a ban on settlement products import, the suspension of the EU-Israel association agreement, and a complete ban on arms supply to Israel. These actions could challenge Zionism much more than the adoption of the antizionist label.
Last month, the Hadash party announced that it would promote direct dialogue with other Arab parties to explore the revival of the Joint List, which at its peak in 2015 and 2020 became the third-largest bloc in the Knesset and briefly held kingmaker influence.
The Hadash source said that several discussions have since taken place but that Mondayâs was the first to be publicized, signaling âmomentum.â
The bloc split due to internal fighting in 2021 when Mansour Abbasâs Islamist United Arab List (Raâam) broke away and it collapsed the following year ahead of the 2022 election.
he delegations to Bethlehem and the Jordan Valley, were stopped by soldiers and police officers, and activists held protests on the scene. In other areas, activities proceeded as planned. âWhile settler terror gangs operated across the West Bank unhindered, the police and army blocked hundreds of activists this morning who came to demonstrate solidarity with the victims,â one of the participants told Zo Haderekh.
Hundreds of activists from a wide range of organizations took part in the protest, including Partnership for Peace, Rabbis for Human Rights, Peace Now, Hadash, Zazim, The Parents Circle-Families Forum, Standing Together, Jordan Valley Activists, Looking the Occupation in the Eye, Women Wage Peace, A Land for All, Combatants for Peace, Breaking the Silence, and Mothers Against Violence.
Partnership for Peace stated: âHundreds of Israelis who set out to oppose terror and demand the state enforce the law in the occupied territories were detained at all checkpoints. It was proven that when the army wants to, it can act efficiently. We expect authorities to show the same determination in protecting innocent people who undergo daily violent pogrom attacks. We will not stop striving for peace, justice, and equality for all residents of the region.â âWe will continue the struggle against the occupation and ethnic cleansing! They will not succeed in stopping us!â they emphasized.
(April 5, 2026)
While acknowledging that there was a âheated meeting,â the source added that âsuch disagreements are naturalâ and said that another meeting will take place in the coming weeks.
Smotrichâs comments drew immediate condemnation from the opposition, with Raâam chairman Mansour Abbas asserting that âhuman life holds no value in his eyesâ. MK Ayman Odeh, the chairman of Hadash-Taâal parliamentary faction, also slammed Smotrich, declaring on X that âwhat the racists and Kahanists say is not important, what matters is what we will do.â âAnd we, the Arab citizens, together with the democratic Jews, will do everything, simply everything, to prevent Smotrich-Netanyahu-Ben Gvir from continuing to another term,â Odeh wrote.
(May 1, 2026)
More than 4,000 people participated yesterday, Thursday, April 30, in the Peopleâs Peace Conference held at the Expo Tel Aviv, initiated by the âItâs Timeâ coalition. Over 80 organizations, movements, and non-profits took part in the event, which was dedicated to building public support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, ending the occupation, and achieving Israeli-Palestinian peace. This is the third annual conference organized by the coalition, following large-scale events held at the Tel Aviv Arena and the International Convention Center in Jerusalem in 2024 and 2025.
When asked if a government could be formed âwithout the support of MKs Ahmad Tibi or Aida Touma-Slimanâ from the Hadash-Taâal faction, Bennett replied: âWe have a large majority even without them.â This statement comes despite a series of recent polls indicating that the Zionist parties opposing Netanyahu are unlikely to secure a majority without the support of Hadash and the Arab parties. (…)
Following the unification, Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the new âYasharâ party, called this morning for a meeting of opposition leaders excluding Hadash and Islamist Raâam, âin order to ensure victory through Zionist and statesmanlike votes without Arabs.â In his announcement, Eisenkot mentioned the leaders of the âTogetherâ list, Bennett and Lapid, as well as Yisrael Beiteinu chairman MK Avigdor Lieberman and The Democrats leader Yair Golan.
During the session, political leaders, including the Communist Party of Israel Secretary-General Adel Amer and Hadash Secretary Amjad Shbita, addressed the regional political situation. Discussions centered on the fragile ceasefire, the risk of renewed war on Iran and Lebanon, and the concerning rise of internal fascism and ongoing occupation of Palestinian, Lebanese and Syrian territories.
âThe establishment of the Joint List is not merely a tactical maneuver,â Hadash stated in an official communique. âIt is a fundamental mission to shift the political balance of power and intensify the struggle against the occupation.â In addition to election preparations, Hadash leadership issued a formal call for public mobilization. Activists and supporters are urged to participate in International Workersâ Day events on Friday, May 1, in Tel Aviv, on Saturday, May 2 in Nazareth and other localities.
Commenting on social media, Hadash-Taâal chair MK Ayman Odeh wrote pointedly: âWeâll wait to hear the police spokesperson claim that âthe soldier felt threatened by Jesusâ.â
Channel 13 also asked respondents how they would vote if Hadash and three Arab parties, Raâam, Taâal and Balad, ran together as the Joint List, as they have done in the past. In such a scenario, the Joint List would become the third largest parliamentary faction, with sixteen seats. Likud would shrink to 20 and Religious Zionism would rise to six, giving Netanyahuâs coalition a total of 53 seats, and Bennettâs party would shrink to 20 while Yashar Eisenkotâs and Democrats Golanâs parties would drop to eleven and seven, respectively, giving the Zionist opposition bloc a total of 51 seats. Hadash and the Arab parties pledged earlier this year to work to reestablish the Joint List, with little signs of progress.
The Communist Party of Israel and the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash) condemned on Wednesday evening, April 8, âthe heinous and horrific massacre committed by the far-right Israeli government in Lebanon, only hours after the announcement of a temporary ceasefire in the war. This is a clear sign of the crisis facing war criminals, whose aggressive policies repeatedly fail to establish what they term the New World Order. Furthermore, Netanyahu and his government understand that ending the war signifies the collapse of their legitimacy and the end of their time in power.â
âWe view the ceasefire in the war with Iran as a crucial development that must be maintained, defended, and turned into a standing agreement that guarantees peace and rights for the peoples of the region, while standing firm against any Israeli attempt to thwart it. We emphasize that this war has once again exposed the failure of the policies of aggression and the imperialist bullying of the US and Israel. It has proven that the logic of force, destruction, and occupation does not create security or stability, but rather drags the entire region into further ruin and bloodshed. We reaffirm that the only path to security, stability, and a better future for all peoples of the land and the region is not the path of war and aggression, but a political path based on ending the occupationâas it is the heart of the regional conflictâand the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in all territories occupied by Israel in June 1967,â they said in the common communique.
On Wednesday morning, Hadash MK Ofer Cassif said, âCongratulations to the brilliant duo, Orange & Purple, on their impressive list of achievements (economic, strategic & political), culminating in finding the lost key to the Strait of Hormuz. We warned from the very beginning that this was nothing more than a futile and pointless war of deception that would only lead to bloodshed, widowhood, orphanhood, and devastation, without achieving anything. No to occupation, yes to peace.â
According to Hadash MK Ayman Odeh, âIsrael should learn three main lessons from the war: To recognize the limitations of power. There is no stability in the region without Israeli-Palestinian peace and Netanyahu is a liar and an international pyromaniac,â he wrote.
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), petitions the High Court of Justice, demanding an end to what they claim is an effective ban on political demonstrations during wartime, after police forcefully dispersed several protests against the government this past week. ACRI filed the on behalf of Itamar Greenberg, a student and leading Hadash activist arrested twice in the past weeks for partaking in demonstrations against the Iran war and the recently passed death penalty law.
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) filed a petition with the Supreme Court demanding the repeal of the âDeath Penalty for Terrorists Lawâ, minutes after it passed its second and third readings in the Knesset. On Tuesday morning, Adalah â The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI), HaMoked: Center for the Defense of the Individual, Physicians for Human Rights and Gisha, together with Hadash-Taâal MKs Aida Touma-Sliman, Ayman Odeh, and Ahmed Tibi, filed a second urgent petition to the Israeli Supreme Court, demanding that the âDeath Penalty for Terrorists Lawâ be declared null and void. The petitioners argue that the law represents a complete negation of the right to life and imposes cruel and inhuman punishment.
(video)
(March 24, 2026)
Avraham Burg, former speaker of the Knesset and interim president of Israel, on why Netanyahu can never settle, only kill.