Arab Parties Banned

Israeli democracy is in crisis as Arab parties have been banned from running in next month's elections:

"Israel on Monday banned Arab political parties from running in next month's parliamentary elections, drawing accusations of racism by an Arab lawmaker who said he would challenge the decision in the country's Supreme Court.

"The ruling by parliament's Central Election Committee reflected the heightened tensions between Israel's Jewish majority and Arab minority caused by Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip. Israeli Arabs have held a series of demonstrations against the offensive."

Whatever the excuse, these parties' real crime is taking unpopular viewpoints both on issues of national security and in dissenting from the unapologetic nationalism which Zionism in fact represents. I'm willing to live with a state defined as Jewish, but by declaring opposing viewpoints beyond the pale, Israel is heading down the same path that leads to a vetting process in Iran by which parties are declared outside the pale for failing to display adequate loyalty to the Khomeinist vision of the state.

What hasn't been banned is Yisrael Beiteinu.

(Crossposted to American Footprints)