Knesset panel votes to expel Israeli lawmaker over support to South Africa’s genocide case

JERUSALEM

A parliamentary committee in the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) voted Tuesday to expel lawmaker Ofer Cassif for supporting South Africa’s lawsuit accusing Israel of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip.

The move to impeach Cassif was passed by 14-2 votes in the Home Committee, the Knesset said in a statement.

The impeachment will now be put to a vote in the Knesset plenum, where a minimum of 90 lawmakers must vote in favor to become final and for Cassif to be expelled from the Knesset.

Cassif is a Jewish member of the Arab-majority Hadas-Ta’al Party.

On Friday, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) found South Africa’s claim that Israel is committing genocide plausible. The court issued an interim order urging Israel to stop obstructing aid deliveries to Gaza and improve the humanitarian situation.

Despite the decisions calling for a halt to attacks against Palestinians, Israel continues its attacks on the Gaza Strip and does not take the necessary steps to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches civilians.

Israel launched a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip following a Hamas attack on Oct. 7, killing at least 26,751 Palestinians and injuring 65,636, while nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.

The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio