"He didn't hit, he pushed": The sentencing of MK Ofer Cassif today

The Jerusalem Magistrate's Court will sentence MK Ofer Cassif today after he was convicted of assaulting a police officer under aggravated circumstances. According to the indictment, Cassif hit officer Azulai's leg with his car and then struck his head during a protest against home demolitions in the village of At-Tuwani. Cassif denied the charges, claiming he only pushed the officer's hand away.

The Jerusalem Magistrate's Court will sentence MK Ofer Cassif today (Thursday) after he was convicted of assaulting a police officer under aggravated circumstances. The incident occurred during a protest against home demolitions in the village of At-Tuwani, an area declared a closed military zone. According to the indictment, Cassif arrived at the scene in his car, and after an argument with security forces who refused to let him pass, he drove slowly toward officer Azulai and hit his left leg. Then, as the officer waved his finger at him, Cassif struck the left side of the officer's head with his open hand. The officer felt pain in his head and leg. Cassif, through his attorney Daniel Haklai, denied the charges and claimed he did not hit the officer's head but pushed his hand away. The incident occurred during a protest attended by about 80 demonstrators, after military orders were published restricting bus movement and declaring various locations as closed military zones.