Right to Arab Representation on the Knesset's Special Economic Committee

This petition was filed in 5/02 on behalf of three Arab political parties - The United Arab List, The National Arab Party and The National Democratic Assembly - challenging the Knesset's decision to establish a special Economic Committee, which excluded all Arab members of Knesset (MKs). Since the largest Arab political party - The United Arab List - has only three seats in the Knesset, the Knesset's decision to give seats to political parties with over five MKs effectively denied representation to the Arab minority in the decision-making process on crucial budgetary matters. The petitioners argued that the Knesset's decision violated Article 3 of the Basic Law: The Knesset, which enumerates the right for equality in election to the Knesset.

Result: As a result of the filing of the petition, within two days, the special Economic Committee recommended that the Knesset add one Arab MK (and one alternate from the coalition) to the committee. Based on this settlement, Adalah withdrew the petition on 29 May 2002.

(H.C. 4514/02, The United Arab List, et al. v. The Knesset Committee, et al., petition withdrawn).