except for the the voice of the right, Kahana. I don't remember reading how you were against that (throwing him out of the government and making his party illegal).....I understand the world's double standard but I am still having trouble understanding, well maybe not understanding, but continually reading how we continue to do it to ourselves. Democracy is only democracy when all the laws apply to all the people, until then we have what we have.....

Boaz, sure we should not suppress criticism. But the Knesset members of the Arab parties break the law and visit enemy countries. Any ordinary citizen would have been jailed for that. They should not be exempt and sit in jail. People with criminal record are not to be seated in the Knesset by law.

What # 1 said is correct the leftists silenced Kahane but the fifth column is free to continue.

UNTIL THENף ISRAEL IS A LEFT WING DICTATORSHIP! IN THE END CIVIL WAR AND A POPULAR UPRISING AGAINST THE CORRUPT ELITE WILL GIVE BACK RIGHTS TO THE PEOPLE! GIVE ME FREEDOM OR GIVE ME DEATH!

If Ynet would permit a frank comment on a difficult issue ...... I think that Boaz Okon as well as the Court miss the point entirely. This is no abstract, theoretical discussion about various theories of democratic government. We have here a very specific case. It is precisely because they are Arabs which is at the heart of the debate. Were they some other nationality not belonging to a hostile group, there would be no discussion. But here in the real world, outside the rarified realm of law books & learned discourse, we have real & hostile enemies. The question has nothing to do with ''Jewish democracy'' since the problem is not that they are not Jews. If they were Hindus or Buddhists, Christians or Shinto, were they Confucians or Bahai, whatever - we have no problem whatsoever in finding an accomodation within a democratic state, albeit a Jewish state, Jewish defined as an ethnic group not a religion. But we have here a religious/ethnic group that is inherently hostile to our very presence here. This religious/ethnic group has never reconciled itself to our existence & denies our right to a sovereign state. This religious/ethnic group belongs to a wider & equally hostile population with which it identifies. We have a collective right as a people to protect our own ethnic group from threats to it's survival. This has nothing to do with individual rights under a democracy. We are not talking about a right to dissent nor are we talking about criticism of political policy. To be frank, we do not belong in the same political entity - coexistence just does not work in this particular circumstance. Common sense also dictates that action be taken before ''theoretical undermining of the State'' becomes actual undermining of the State's character & massive assistance to the surrounding enemies. So, no - everyone is NOT entitled to be elected.

It is ok to bar Jewish extremists from running for office, but barring arab extremists that daily call for our demise is an 'affront to democracy'? Typical TA leftist BS!

subversive aiding enemy is another

How about seditious. If I advocated loudly the violent overthrow of Obama and worked towards that end, I'd find myself in jail at some point, not an elected official.

it was a mistake to legetimate the arab partys agin in the knesset no wonder that we have riots here with them becuose they are the are warmongers

As always, your wit and incisive logic took the words from my mouth. Keep posting and if you haven't already, consider starting a blog. Thank you!

I'm just a bit lazy to continue, but ...... There is one important point to consider. It is particularly unwise to have members of a hostile group whose primary identification is with the surrounding enemy states participate in decisions or even influence policy that affects our national security. It should be obvious that their interest is to our detriment, that their intentions are not benign. Their own statements confirm this.

Personally I'd say let anyone run who wants. The public has the right to decide who represents it. My only problem is that when this process invalidates a Feiglin or a Kahane the same people applauding today for the Arabs to run, just nod their heads and grin. The problem with Israel's kangaroo court is that it just a cover for the left's 'political correctness'.

You are the one who is veiled in deception with phrases like "democratic process". The law is very clear on parties that wish to dissolve the Jewish state or support enemy states or terrorist groups. The Chief Justice has walked on that law. There is no question that the two Arab parties meet the qualifications of parties that should be excluded from the Knesset. Israel is living under governance both legistative and judiciary that 1) does not represent the will of the majority of the people and 2)has been rigged so that it is very difficult to change. The entire political system is like Lebanon War II: led by those uninterested in our survival or success. It is not true that anyone can do anything they want in a democratic state. Every democracy has its limits. You do not ask a democracy to act againt its own interests and life, as in the Talmud no one is required to testify against himself in capital cases. You do not even make common sense. But worse, your ill-thought out pseudo intellectual abstract phrases are the result of understanding nothing about governance. You cannot govern by appealing to abstractions and ideals that do not exist and misinterpreting their meaning. "All men are created equal" does not mean that all are equal in all things, or even that all deserve equality in all things. As for Arabs, I don't want Arabs in Israel. Those who stay here should be few and far between, if any. They do not contribute anything much to Israel that Jews cannot contribute themselves, combined with the fact that an unknown number of them or their relatives either advocate the elimination of all Jews by murder or will support friends or relatives in actually attempting to do so. This is not "racism"; it is an observation based on their behavior, associations, publications, actions. I think that's enough not to have them around. What more do you need,a knife in your gut? The Arabs are not going to easily or simply let go of violence or the dominance mentality fostered by Islam. Further it is not our job to educate them. That is for American stupidity.

... individuals like these would have been shown the door years ago. Take Germany, for example, who in the 1950's (this is former W Germany, I am talking about, BTW), banned the Communist party outright. When you have neighbors on your doorstep talking about militarily overrunning your country, a normal constitutional democracy doesn't tolerate unnecessary risks. Any normal constitutional democracy abides by the rule that those who seek to abolish the constitutional order by unconstitutional means find themselves excluded from the democratic process. The issue as cited by the court, is evidence, but, with MK Tibi caught red-handed as acting as a minister of "Occupied Palestine", the real question is how much evidence do the courts need? Also, doesn't the quality of evidence rate as more important than the sheer quantity? Something is rotten, and it isn't in Denmark. Thanks, again, Terry!

The jewish state allow arab parties who not reconize Israel to to run in elections but this state ban Kahana because the were racist. For my little leftist, the fact that a person dont reconize Israel state is racist (see antisemitism defenition make by EU). So if Arab parties dont reconize Israel, they are racist and they should be banned like Kahana. Justice for all, not just for leftist

There are many israelis who don't want us to sleak about peace. Rhey try to humiliate us by making us irrelevant. As an intellectual i am always amazed why israeli and Palestinian gay organization can not find a solution to the problem. There is also a lack of cooperation on organizing a gay parade in Ramallah. Some "reasonable" people say it is in possible. I ask you how the election of a first black president in racist America is possible? Yes we can and we will!

Sure the problem is not that they are not Jews but they also nominally belong to a religion and have imams among them who actively advocate 1)murder or elimination of the Jews or 2)taking over land and making Jews dhimmis--second level people with limited rights who pay a head tax. Sure Islams advocates this kind of takeover for other than Jews, e.g., Christians, but the point is that it is the only large religion advocating the murder of members of another religious group.

We had enough of the "poor palestinians". What's the point in allowing them to be represented in Israel, a country they want to destroy. No citizenship, no jobs, no schooling, OUT!

Homosexuality is a crime in Gaza and the West Bank. That is why there is a "lack of cooperation". Please bear in mind that I don't disapprove of your lifestyle, or your desire to have a pride parade in Ramallah- I just want to point out the reality to you, in case you didn't know it already. By the way, stay away from areas with tall buildings...

If it was OK to make Kahana's Kach party illegal, why is it not OK to make anti-Israel parties illegal? Lets take into consideration that at least Kahana LOVED Israel and it's people and didn't want to destroy it. Everyone (probably Okon among them) agreed that his party should be considered illegal, but an Arab party that wants Israel to disappear , that in any country may be considered subversive, the High Court rulled in favor of it being in the Kneset? Who, dear God is looking out for Israel??????

How can the Arabs who have NO loyalty for the State of Israel be allowed to participate in the political process of the country? Treason should not be tolerated and rewarded.

Thanks for understanding. I wish there are many gay people like you. I am sorry but everybody talks about israel victims, but what about Palestinian gays and lesbians? Do you know that more then 10 lesbians were killed in Pamallah becvause they were accused of spying? 2 young gays were executed in Gaza during the fighting. How do I know? My husband is a Palestinian from Gaza and he has contacts. This is why I am in tears for my community in Gaza and Ramallah. Thanks to Allah we collected $18000 at our annual nude salsa dance competition. i hope it will help. Also we donated blood and have sent it by UPS.

Let me make one thing, well, erm, "straight", here- I am a religious Jew. That being said, I don't disapprove of your lifestyle. As far as your salsa party, I think I'll have to pass on that one- I'll only spoil the party... I don't know so much if your sisters in Ramallah were executed for "spying", so much as they were executed for being who they are and for their lifestyle. Same thing in Gaza. It's a shame the Palestinians haven't adopted the tolerant attitude most Secular Israel has toward those with untraditional sexual orientations. Like I said, khalili Yaqub, stay away from tall buildings- it's a jungle out there!

Israel is allowing the Arabs to destroy it from within. Wake up!

Sorry to insult you. Our religion Islam and Mohammed PBUH are tolerant. Don't think that I am not spititual. I am. I pray to Allah our communities can live together . I believe that homosexuality is a special form of spirituality. We are different but wee still need to tolrrate each other and love each other. Thanks.