Ofer Cassif

Cassif was born in Rishon LeZion. He attended Shalmon Elementary School and the Reali Gymnasium.[1] Growing up in a Mapai-supporting household, he joined the Left Camp of Israel youth group at the age of 16.[2] During his military service in the Israel Defense Forces he served in the Nahal and the Nahal paratrooper brigade.[2] He subsequently studied philosophy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and earned a PhD in political philosophy at the London School of Economics with a thesis titled On nationalism and democracy: A Marxist examination,[3] before doing a postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia University. He became a lecturer in political science at Tel Aviv University and Sapir Academic College.[2]

Entering the political sphere, he worked as a parliamentary assistant to Hadash MK Meir Vilner.[2] Prior to the April 2019 Knesset elections he was placed fifth on the joint Hadash–Ta'al list.[4] In March 2019, he was banned from contesting the elections by the Central Election Committee due to provocative statements he had made,[5] the first time an individual had been barred from a party list. However, the decision was later overturned by the Supreme Court.[6] He subsequently entered the Knesset as the alliance won six seats. He was re-elected in elections in September 2019, 2020 and 2021.

On 9 April 2021, Cassif was assaulted by police officers while taking part in a protest against evictions in East Jerusalem.[7] However, he was later investigated for striking the policeman first.[8] In an interview with Haaretz, Cassif said: “I object to the ideology and practice of Zionism... it's a racist ideology and practice which espouses Jewish supremacy."[9] Cassif identifies as a Marxist and a socialist.[10]

Cassif is married with one son and lives in Rehovot.[11]

• Ofer Cassif on the Knesset website