Israel’s elections are about a month away, and that means a last ditch effort by the Central Elections Committee to ban Arab candidates and Arab parties. This year, the bannings are centering on MP Hanin Zoabi.

 

Zoabi, a member of the Balad Party, is facing allegations from the far-right that she has “undermined” the military with her policies, and having been on board the aid ship Mavi Marmara when Israeli soldiers killed several aid workers is only adding to the eagerness to kick her out of politics.

Zoabi dismissed the effort as part of the “fascist right’s” effort to destroy freedom of speech and limit the political opposition. Since that self-same far-right is overwhelmingly dominating the parliament, however, the move is likely to pass.