Opposition member of the Israeli Knesset, Ofer Cassif, has become the target of Israeli criticism because of his support for the genocide lawsuit in the Gaza Strip, which South Africa filed against Israel last December.
It is noteworthy that Kasif is a representative of the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality, and is known for his rejection of the Israeli occupation and his support for the right to establish an independent Palestinian state.
On March 6, 2019, the Central Elections Committee disqualified Kasif from running for office because of his positions opposing the occupation, but the Supreme Court rejected the decision and allowed him to run and enter the Knesset.
Representative Oded Forer began a campaign to collect signatures in Parliament to expel Kassif from membership in the Knesset, at a time when campaigns were launched against him on social media.
Kasif was suspended from participating in Parliament sessions for 40 days, as a result of his opposition to the attacks launched by Israel on the Gaza Strip since October 7th.
It is noteworthy that on January 11 and 12, the International Court of Justice in The Hague held two public hearings in the context of examining the lawsuit filed by South Africa against Israel, on charges of committing genocide crimes against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
On December 29, South Africa filed a lawsuit before the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, which has been subjected to Israeli aggression for more than 3 months.
Attacks against freedom of expression
In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Kasif reported that opponents of the war find it difficult to raise their voices in Israel, where it is almost forbidden to organize anti-war demonstrations or call for an end to it.
He explained that students who demonstrate in schools or universities face suspension, others are fired from their jobs, while the police use brutal violent methods against the demonstrators. He stressed that violence is not limited to the governmental level only, but also seeps into broad strata of Israeli society.
Cassif pointed out that there are attacks against freedom of expression, as those who reject the war are subjected to death threats, and that people are afraid of the police because of their violence against those who oppose the war.
“Unfortunately, this violence is legitimized by the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, especially by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir,” Kasif said.
Last Wednesday, in an interview with Israeli Channel 13, Ben Gvir called for occupying the Gaza Strip and remaining there, and encouraging the migration of its residents, despite international criticism directed against such statements.
Cassif pointed out that the only reason for the war on Gaza is to ensure the continuation of the Netanyahu government, not the security of the Israelis.
The war must stop
The Israeli MP warned that failure to stop the attacks on Gaza immediately could turn the aggression into a regional or global war. He pointed out that everyone will pay a heavy price if the Netanyahu government continues in power.
According to Cassif, the only way to prevent the expansion of fronts is to stop the war as quickly as possible, conduct a prisoner exchange, withdraw from Gaza, and start a serious peace process.
He pointed out the contradiction in the rhetoric of the Israeli authorities, as they claim not to target civilians in Gaza, while also saying that there are no innocents in the Strip.
The necessity of investigating the Gaza war
Cassif explained that the first reason behind his support for the genocide claim is his belief in the necessity of investigating the events taking place in Gaza by an independent body. He stressed that asking the Israeli government to investigate this matter is “like asking a thief to investigate himself to find out whether he stole, and this is nonsense.”
He stated that the other reason was to stop the killing, and this terrible attack on Gaza claimed the lives of Palestinians and hundreds of Israeli soldiers. At the same time, he pointed out that the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) is still holding 136 Israeli prisoners, and that he wants their lives to be saved.
Kasif said that it is impossible to achieve an end to the war through internal protests, due to the embargoes and repressive practices that control Israel. He added that international institutions have become the only solution to stop the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip.
According to an opinion poll, 47% of Israeli society supports ending the war to save the prisoners. Cassif agrees with this opinion, as he explained that Israel is not obligated to comply with the decision of the International Court of Justice, but its non-compliance will turn into international pressure.
The Israeli press is betraying the profession
When asked why journalists were prevented from entering Gaza by the Israeli army, Kasif said that perhaps they have something to hide, as not allowing someone to enter often indicates that there is something that no one should see.
Cassif stressed that there is no such thing as freedom of the press when the issue relates to Gaza, and 90% of journalists in Israel participated in the mobilization voluntarily to support the war and government policy. He concluded by saying that the people will not forget that the Israeli press betrayed its profession.
On January 8, the Israeli Knesset began procedures to remove Kasif, after he signed a petition supporting his country’s prosecution at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, on charges of committing genocide in Gaza, according to Israel Today newspaper.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza, which as of Monday resulted in the death of 25,295 Palestinians and the injury of more than 63,000, most of them children and women.
This war also caused the displacement of about 1.9 million people, or more than 85% of the population, amid massive destruction of homes and infrastructure, according to Palestinian and international reports.