Ofer Cassif
Ofer CassifFlash 90

Joint List MK Ofer Cassif was filmed on Friday striking an Israeli police officer who was blocking him from driving to a demonstration against the evacuation of buildings on Mount Hebron.

Cassif hit in the head an officer after his car was stopped by the police while he was on his way to the protest against buildings built illegally in a fire area in Safar Yatta in the southern Hebron Mountains.

Cassif took advantage of his political immunity and entered the area with his vehicle even though it was declared a closed military area.

"Ofer Cassif should be questioned as early as Sunday about assaulting a police officer. There is no parliamentary immunity or permission to break the law, disrupt public order and use violence – not against civilians and certainly not against security forces who do their job faithfully,” Communications Minister Yoaz Hendel said.

Minister of Interior Ayelet Shaked also responded to the incident on Twitter, saying: "Police officers, Border Police fighters and all the forces that are in the area on Friday afternoon, to keep us all safe: I know how hard you work these days and how you divide your body between terrorism and Israeli citizens. Do this sacred work and ignore depraved people like Ofer Cassif."

A serious incident was also recorded yesterday after MK Ahmad Tibi confronted police in East Jerusalem and helped smuggle a detainee. The suspect was apprehended and arrested for questioning by the police.

"We take seriously the conduct of the elected official, who abused his immunity and allowed the escape of a suspect during his detention (without such success)," police said. "Disruption of police activity for the maintenance of law and order is an improper act, especially when it is committed by an elected official who is to serve as a personal example and not to thwart police activity."