The Knesset Ethics Committee announced additional disciplinary measures on Wednesday against Knesset member Ofer Cassif from the Joint List of Arab-majority political parties, following 12 separate complaints. According to the committee’s decision, Cassif will be banned from attending both committee and plenary sessions for two months and will have his salary suspended for two weeks. Just a week and a half earlier, Cassif had already been penalized with suspension and a salary cut over previous remarks against IDF soldiers.
In the current case, most of the complaints address statements Cassif made following a previous committee ruling against him, resembling earlier remarks. Among them is a complaint by lawmaker Ofir Katz of the ruling Likud party over Cassif’s formal appeal to the prosecutor at the Hague Tribunal, urging an investigation into the Israeli prime minister and cabinet members. This came after the prior Ethics Committee decision, which had strongly condemned Cassif for signing a petition demanding that Israel be put on trial at the Hague.
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The committee wrote that the collection of complaints reveals “a systematic and consistent pattern” of statements accusing the IDF and the State of Israel of committing serious war crimes. “Such statements not only damage the dignity of the Knesset and its members but also undermine the war effort and give moral support to the enemy.” The committee rejected two additional complaints against Cassif, arguing the actions described in them did not, in their view, constitute an ethics violation.
Separately, the committee issued a new principle concerning Knesset lawmakers’ responsibility for their invitees to the Knesset. This follows a briefing by the Knesset security officer and a request from Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana. The committee determined that Knesset members must exercise discretion regarding who they invite, explain the behavioral rules in place at the Knesset, and ensure visitors attend only for the purposes they were invited. “From now on, the committee may impose ethical sanctions on MKs who fail to meet these responsibilities,” it stated.
Additionally, the committee reprimanded Deputy Minister Almog Cohen for comments made on his X account. In response to a user who mocked him by calling him a “former Pancake House branch manager,” Cohen replied: “Pathetic, you arrogant, hypocritical, condescending little white piece of trash.” Cohen previously owned the Pancake House in Be’er Sheva.