United Arab List (Ra'am-Ta'al)

Ra’am-Ta’al, the Hebrew acronym for United Arab List- Arab Movement for Renewal, is the largest Arab party in the Knesset and calls for an Israeli withdrawal to the pre-1967 borders and the creation of a Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The party calls for dismantling all Israeli settlements, including those in the Golan Heights. Ra’am-Ta’al also calls for the “right of return” to Israel for Palestinian refugees and their descendants.

The party supports the separation of religion and state. Ra’am-Ta’al calls for the recognition of Israeli Arabs as a national minority and believes that Arabs should not be recruited to serve in the Israel Defense Forces. Israeli Arabs are currently exempt from compulsory military service. Ra'am-Ta’al also states that Israel should give Islamic religious courts greater freedom in performing judicial duties. In addition, the movement calls for an increase in the budget for subsidizing all holy places belonging to the Muslims, Christians and Druze. The party enjoys particular popularity among the Bedouin population.

In January 2009, the Israeli Central Elections Committee banned Ra’am Ta’al and Balad (another Arab-Israeli party) from running in the elections, accusing them of incitement, supporting terrorist groups and refusing to recognize Israel's right to exist. The Supreme Court subsequently revoked the ban allowing the party to stand in the elections. Israel has in the past banned extreme right-wing parties from running in elections such as the Kach party of Meir Kahane.

Source: The Israel Project.