Ofer Cassif Disqualified from Knesset by Election Committee

The Central Elections Committee voted to disqualify Member of Knesset (MK) Ofer Cassif from running in the upcoming Knesset elections. The decision, made by a vote of 19 to 5 with 2 abstentions, cited Cassif's alleged support for armed struggle against Israel and his denial of Israel's existence as a Jewish and democratic state.

The Likud party petitioned for Cassif's disqualification, presenting a series of his statements and actions. These included signing a petition calling for Israel to be prosecuted at the Hague for war crimes, alleging Israel is committing genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza, advocating for the cancellation of the Law of Return, calling for the release of Marwan Barghouti, and referring to terrorists as "freedom fighters" while labeling IDF soldiers as "criminals and terrorists."

Representing the government's legal advisor, attorney Anat Goldstein argued against disqualification, stating that while Cassif's remarks were "outrageous," they did not meet the threshold for disqualification, particularly regarding support for armed struggle. She noted that similar petitions against him had been rejected in the past, and a single statement, even calling fighters against IDF soldiers "freedom fighters," did not constitute a "critical mass" of actions justifying disqualification.

Attorneys from the Arab organization Adalah, representing Cassif, argued that his actions were political and legal appeals, not support for armed conflict. They contended that many Israelis share his views on alleged genocide and that he has never been investigated for incitement or support of terrorism. They also accused the disqualification request of having a "seditious tone" and being an attack on Arab legitimacy.

However, MK Simcha Rothman of the Likud strongly condemned Cassif, stating that Cassif and his allies were the "political leg" of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's plan, aiming to pressure Israel internationally and paralyze its military. MK Amit Halevi echoed this sentiment, accusing the legal advisor's representative of being detached from reality and arguing that Cassif's demand for a ceasefire constituted support for Hamas's armed struggle.

The Central Elections Committee's decision will now be appealed to the High Court of Justice (Bagatz).