Ofer Cassif Explained

Birth Date:25 December 1964
Birth Place:Rishon LeZion, Israel
Suboffice1:Hadash
Office1:Faction represented in the Knesset
Subterm1:2019
Suboffice2:Joint List
Subterm2:2019–2022
Suboffice3:Hadash
Subterm3:2022–

Ofer Cassif (Hebrew: עֹופֶר כַּסִיף, born 25 December 1964)[1] is a far-left[2] [3] [4] [5] [6] Israeli politician who has represented Hadash in the Knesset since April 2019.

Biography

Cassif was born in Rishon LeZion on 25 December 1964. He attended Shalmon Elementary School and the Reali Gymnasium, where he was friends with Nitzan Horowitz, the future leader of Meretz.[7] Growing up in a Mapai-supporting household, Cassif joined the Left Camp of Israel youth group at the age of 16. During his military service in the Israel Defense Forces, he served in the Nahal and the Nahal paratrooper brigade. During the First Intifada, Cassif was sent to military prison four times as a conscientious objector, for what he described as "refusing to oppress the Palestinians, to take part in the oppression and occupation of the Palestinians."

Following his military service in 1987, he studied philosophy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem where he began his political career as a parliamentary aide to Meir Wilner and participated in anti-war activism.[8] He then earned a PhD in political philosophy at the London School of Economics with a thesis titled On nationalism and democracy: A Marxist examination,[9] followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia University.[10]

, Cassif lectures in political science at Tel Aviv University and Sapir Academic College.

Political career

Entering the political sphere as a student influenced by Marxism and socialism, he worked as a parliamentary assistant to Hadash MK Meir Vilner.

For the April 2019 Knesset elections, he was placed fifth on the joint Hadash–Ta'al list, and filled the "Jewish slot" after the retirement of Dov Khenin.[11] In March 2019, he was banned from contesting the elections by the Central Election Committee, due to what it described as provocative statements he had made, such as calling Ayelet Shaked "neo-Nazi scum".[12] The decision was later overturned by the Supreme Court.[13] He subsequently entered the Knesset as the alliance won six seats. He was re-elected in September 2019, 2020, and 2021.

In April 2021, Cassif was filmed being assaulted by police officers at a protest against evictions and Israeli settlements in Sheikh Jarrah, East Jerusalem. Various otherwise opposing politicians spoke out about the incident, including leader of the Ta'al party, Ahmad Tibi, and right-wing Likud lawmaker Gideon Sa'ar, who described the attack as "a murderous blow to the parliament and to parliamentary immunity".[14] [15] Cassif was investigated for striking the policeman first.[16]

Cassif proclaimed himself "an explicit anti-Zionist". In an interview with Haaretz, Cassif said: "I object to the ideology and practice of Zionism... it's a racist ideology and practice which espouses Jewish supremacy."[17]

On 8 October 2023, Cassif told Al Jazeera that his party had repeatedly warned that continued Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories would lead to events like the Israel–Hamas war, in which innocent civilians on both sides would pay the price. He called the Israeli government "fascist", and accused it of carrying out pogroms and ethnic cleansing against the Palestinian population.[18] He was later ordered suspended for these comments and others by the ethics panel of the Knesset for 45 days, a decision which Cassif characterised as "another nail in the coffin of freedom of political expression".[19]

On 7 January 2024, Cassif announced his intention to join South Africa in its legal proceedings against Israel brought under the Genocide Convention.[20] Cassif stated: In response to these comments, 85 Israeli members of parliament (out of 120) signed a petition to expel Cassif from the Knesset,[21] accusing him of treason.[22] The measure came up for a vote on 19 February 2024, with Cassif narrowly avoiding expulsion.[23]

Personal life

Cassif is Jewish, is married, with one son, and lives in Rehovot.[24]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Members of the 25th Knesset . 2024-04-19 . Knesset.
  2. News: Lis . Jonathan . Israeli Arab Slate, Far-left Candidate Banned From Election Hours After Kahanist Leader Allowed to Run . 19 February 2024 . . 2019-03-07 . https://archive.today/20231025175829/https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/2019-03-07/ty-article/.premium/far-left-lawmaker-banned-from-israeli-election-for-supporting-terror/0000017f-e164-d75c-a7ff-fded7e160000 . 2023-10-25.
  3. News: MK: Expel lawmaker who supports genocide charges against Israel . 9 January 2024 . . 2024-01-08.
  4. News: Sokol . Sam . MK starts process to expel far-left lawmaker who supports genocide charges against Israel . 9 January 2024 . . 2024-01-08.
  5. News: Israeli far-left lawmaker joins Gaza genocide lawsuit at ICJ . 9 January 2024 . . 2024-01-07.
  6. News: Israeli politician signals support for South Africa ICJ case . 19 February 2024 . . 2023-01-08.
  7. Web site: Itiel . Yoav . 2019-03-07 . "גאה להיות קיצוני": לוחם הנח"ל שמתנגד לציונות ונפסל מריצה לכנסת - וואלה! בחירות 2022 . "Proud to be an extremist": the Nahal fighter who opposes Zionism and was disqualified from running for the Knesset . live . 2023-12-02 . . he . 2 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190402210116/https://elections.walla.co.il/item/3223081 .
  8. News: Hecht . Ravit . The Knesset Candidate Who Says Zionism Encourages anti-Semitism and Calls Netanyahu 'Arch-murderer' . en . . live. 2019-02-16 . 2021-09-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210901223445/https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/.premium.MAGAZINE-knesset-candidate-netanyahu-is-an-arch-murderer-zionism-encourages-anti-semitism-1.6935511 . 1 September 2021.
  9. Cassif. Ofer. 2006. On nationalism and democracy: A Marxist examination. PhD. London School of Economics and Political Science. 6 August 2021. 20 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210120174554/http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/1882/. live.
  10. Web site: Ofer Cassif . 2023-12-17 . ofercassif.academia.edu.
  11. News: Itiel . Yoav . מועצת חד"ש בחרה: איימן עודה יעמוד בראש המפלגה בבחירות לכנסת . 8 January 2024 . . 2019-02-01 . Hebrew.
  12. News: Winer . Stuart . Elections panel bars Arab slate, Jewish far-left candidate; court will now rule . . live. 7 March 2019 . 17 April 2019 . 2 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190402235330/https://www.timesofisrael.com/elections-committee-disqualifies-arab-israeli-slate-jewish-far-left-candidate/ .
  13. News: Burger . Yotam . Israel's Top Court Bans Kahanist Leader From Election Run, Okays Arab Slates, Far-left Candidate . en . . 2019-03-17 . 2023-12-02 . 2 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231202200453/https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/2019-03-17/ty-article/israels-top-court-bans-kahanist-leader-from-running-approves-arab-slate/0000017f-e642-df5f-a17f-ffde8b190000 . live .
  14. Web site: Outcry as police beat Joint List lawmaker during East Jerusalem protest The Times of Israel . live . . 9 April 2021 . 9 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210409183809/https://www.timesofisrael.com/outcry-as-police-beat-joint-list-lawmaker-during-east-jerusalem-protest/ .
  15. Web site: Video shows police beating Israeli politician in Jerusalem . 2023-12-02 . . en.
  16. Web site: 2022-08-02 . Ofer Cassif summoned for investigation after violent incident with cop . 2023-12-02 . . en-US . 21 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221121060316/https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-713720 . live .
  17. News: Ofer Cassif, A Very Important Person . en . Haaretz. Gideon. Levy . 2021-04-18. 2023-12-02 . 21 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221121060307/https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2021-04-18/ty-article-opinion/.premium/a-very-important-person/0000017f-e107-df7c-a5ff-e37f01610000 . live .
  18. Web site: Freedman . Eliyahu . 7 October 2023 . Israeli lawmaker blames pogroms against Palestinians for "terrible" attacks . live . 7 October 2023 . . 8 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231008145253/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/8/israeli-lawmaker-blames-pogroms-against-palestinians-for-terrible-attacks .
  19. Web site: 19 October 2023 . Israel police boss threatens to send anti-war protesters to Gaza "on buses" . live . . 19 October 2023 . 9 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231109180958/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/19/israel-police-boss-threatens-to-send-anti-war-protesters-to-gaza-on-buses .
  20. News: Israeli far-left lawmaker joins Gaza genocide lawsuit at ICJ . . 7 January 2024.
  21. News: 70 Israeli Lawmakers Sign Motion to Expel MK for Supporting ICJ Genocide Charges . 2024-01-09 . 2024-01-09 . Haaretz. Noa. Shpigel . en.
  22. News: 85 lawmakers sign petition to expel far-left MK who accused Israel of genocide. The Times of Israel. Shira. Silkoff. Sam. Sokol. 10 January 2024. 30 January 2024.
  23. News: Knesset Narrowly Votes Against Expelling Left-wing Lawmaker for His Support of ICJ Genocide Case Against Israel . 2024-02-20 . Haaretz. Noa. Shpigel. 2024-02-19 . en.
  24. Web site: Oz . Sheri . October 31, 2022 . Interview: The Jewish MK in the Arab party, Hadash, Ofer Cassif. . 2023-12-17 . Israel National News.

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