In its sitting on Monday, the Knesset Plenum voted down the appeal by MK Ofer Cassif (Hadash-Ta’al) against the Ethics Committee’s decision on his matter from July 9, 2025. In its decision, the Ethics Committee determined that MK Cassif had violated rule 1a(2), (4) and (5) of the Rules of Ethics for Members of Knesset, and imposed upon him the sanction of removal from the sittings of the Knesset Plenum and meetings of the Knesset committees for a period of two months, to begin at the start of the next Knesset session.
In the vote, ten Members of Knesset supported acceptance of the appeal, versus 85 who opposed it. Consequently, the appeal was rejected, and the Ethics Committee’s decision remained in place.
MK Cassif: “The days have ended in which real debates could be conducted here. The removal requests and systematic suspensions of the members of my parliamentary group are part of the atmosphere of persecution. I have been removed [from sittings] more than any other MK in this House. I am proud of having raised our outcry against bloodshed of all kinds. There are many good people who share our outcry, both Jews and Arabs.”
MK Pnina Tameno Shete (Blue and White—National Unity Party), representative of the Ethics Committee: “At the start of the Swords of Iron war, the committee warned that during the war period it would have zero tolerance for statements that would lead to harming Israel’s security. Freedom of speech is not freedom of debasement, it is not freedom of defamation and not the freedom to spread blood libels against idf soldiers who are risking their lives. MK Cassif did not only disrespect this House, he also disrespected the decisions of the Ethics Committee. The way to voice fierce criticism, as sharp as it may be—certainly during wartime—does not pass through publication of horrific libels against IDF soldiers and accusations against the State of Israel.”
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