Yisrael Beytenu MK Petitions to Disqualify Ofer Cassif from 26th Knesset

Yisrael Beytenu faction chairman MK Oded Forer officially submitted a request to the Central Elections Committee on Monday to disqualify MK Ofer Cassif from running for the 26th Knesset. The request is submitted pursuant to Article 7A of the Basic Law: The Knesset, focusing primarily on Cassif's continuous and consistent support for armed struggle against the State of Israel.

Evidence of Support for Armed Struggle

The application details a long series of statements and actions, including his assertion that "there is no such thing as terror against soldiers," defining those who attack IDF troops as "guerrilla fighters" and "freedom fighters," and stating that Palestinians have the right to use armed means against the occupation. In addition, the petition cited his signature on a petition supporting South Africa's lawsuit against Israel in The Hague, his calls for soldiers to refuse orders during the war, and his refusal to designate Hamas as a terrorist organization.

The application emphasizes that these are not isolated statements, but a systematic and consistent pattern of behavior spanning years. During the 25th Knesset term, Cassif was subjected to four Ethics Committee sanctions, accumulating approximately ten months of suspension from Knesset work.

Legal Arguments and Precedent

At the center of the legal argument lies a broad evidentiary framework, which differs substantially from the one presented to the Supreme Court in 2019. The request is now based on full interviews, direct tweets, speeches in the Knesset plenum, recordings, international activities, and official decisions of Knesset bodies.

"In 2019 the court said the evidence was insufficient, and since then Cassif has not changed his ways – he has only radicalized them. Democracy does not have to allow someone who supports the struggle against the state to use the Knesset as a platform for activity against it," MK Forer stated.