Ophir Pines-Paz was born in Israel in 1961. He completed his army service with the rank of Staff Sergeant. He holds a B.A. in International Relations from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and an M.A. in Public Policy from Tel Aviv University.
 
He served in the past as Deputy Director-General of the Immigration and Absorption Department of the Jewish Agency, Chairman of the Authority for Rehabilitation of Prisoners, and Secretary General of the Israel Labor Party.

A Member of Knesset since the 14th Knesset (1996), Ophir Pines-Paz most recently served as a member of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justic, State Control, and Science and Technology Committees, as well as a member of the Municipal Lobby. In the 15th Knesset he served among others as Chairman of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee and as Coalition Chairman, and in the 14th Knesset as Chairman of the Committee for Foreign Workers.

Ophir Pines-Paz served as Minister of the Interior from January to November 2005, when Labor resigned from the government. In May 2006 he was appointed Minister of Science, Culture and Sports, resigning in October 2006.

He is married, and has two children.