Ofer galt als der reichste Mann Israels und war gemeinsam mit seinem Bruder Herr über eine der größten privaten Schiffsflotten der Welt. Zuletzt hatten die USA dem Unternehmen der Ofer-Brüder Sanktionen auferlegt, weil diese einen Öltanker in den Iran verkauft haben sollen. Die beiden Brüder bestritten böse Absicht, man habe nicht gewusst, dass der Käufer des Schiffes für eine iranische Firma aktiv war.

Die israelischen Behörde hatten sehr zurückhalten auf die US-Sanktionen reagiert, was Spekulationen über Verbindungen der Brüder zum Geheimdienst anheizte. Laut Zeitungsberichten haben zudem zahlreiche Schiffe der Gruppe ihren Weg in den Iran gefunden.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement eulogising Ofer as a “Zionist through and through” and a business leader who “contributed greatly to Israel’s economy.”

Israeli lawmakers met on Tuesday to discuss legal aspects of the case, but the meeting, aired live on television, was adjourned within minutes after the chairman, Carmel Shama-Hacohen, received a note from an aide.

“Let’s just be clear the note is not from a political figure and not from a business figure,” Shama-Hacohen said, leaving open the possibility of an appeal by the defense establishment.

“It turns out that reality is much more complex, much more complicated and touchy than the average imagination can handle.”

Ofer was born in Romania in 1922 and his family moved to the territory that was to become modern Israel shortly afterwards. His father established a small shipping company that his sons developed into a world leader.

He was ranked No. 79 on the Forbes list of the world’s wealthiest people.

Ofer was also one of the world’s top art collectors, with a penchant for works by impressionist masters. He was reported to have paid $40.3 million for a painting by Vincent van Gogh that went to auction in 2006.