| Subscribe! | Judaica Gifts |
| RSS | Advertise with Us | Blogs | Judaica Gifts |
| 
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
Inquiry commission urged to unmask police witnesses The judicial commission of inquiry into the riots last October in which 13 Israeli Arabs and a Jew were killed and scores of people injured is being urged to unmask witnesses from the police force. The call was made last night at a meeting of a special committee established by the Israeli Arab leadership to prepare the Arabs' charges for the inquiry commission and monitor its work. The professional body comprises lawyers and leading members of the so-called monitoring committee of the Arab leadership, itself made up of Arab MKs, council heads, and other public figures. Monitoring committee spokesman Abed Inibitawi said it is imperative that the names and faces of police witnesses be made public. 'The inquiry commission is supposed to be open and its hearings public in all respects, so we are demanding that the screens be removed from around the police witnesses and their names revealed,' he said. There had been calls for the committee to recommend a boycott of the inquiry commission because of what was originally described as 'deep disappointment' in its preliminary work. The demands have since been toned down, following the testimony of police witnesses which Arab leaders said supported their claims that excessive force had been used to quell demonstrations. 'Generally, we are relatively satisfied with the work of the inquiry commission so far, although we still have a number of reservations,' said Inbitawi. 'We still demand the right to be able to study the written testimony of police before they give evidence to the commission, and to cross-examine witnesses. 'We will be closely monitoring the work of the inquiry commission and our team will be participating at all of the hearings when they resume, especially to see if the inquiry will tackle the question of responsibility on the part of the establishment and the political hierarchy.' The inquiry commission, comprising Supreme Court Justice Theodore Or, Nazareth District Court Deputy President Sahal Jara, and Middle East affairs expert Prof. Shimon Shamir, is due to visit the Umm el-Fahm junction this morning. The aim of the visit, which is also likely to include the sites of other clashes, is to make a first-hand inspection so the panel will have a greater understanding of the testimony given and of maps, photographs, and videotaped evidence. Meanwhile, Galilee police chief Dep.-Cmdr. Yehuda Solomon, held a meeting in Acre yesterday with over 20 Arab council heads and public figures. The clear-the-air meeting was seen as an attempt by police to open a new chapter in relations with the Arab community and its elected representatives on the basis of cooperation and mutual respect. Solomon offered to act as a bridge in an effort to restore harmony between the communities and return life and commerce to what it had been before the October disturbances. A number of council heads said they had been disappointed that the police chief had not expressed the kind of remorse they felt was necessary over the Arabs killed and injured in the clashes. The majority, however, welcomed the get-together as a step forward and expressed the hope it would lead to a healing of the rupture in Jewish-Arab relations. Solomon stressed that on Land Day on March 30, when tens of thousands of Arabs are expected to take part in marches, rallies, and memorial services, police will do their utmost to avoid friction. Senior police officers who took part in the meeting described its as very successful, and the council heads had asked for police assistance in dealing with problems in their communities. Solomon unveiled details of police statistics in the Arab sector, ranging from domestic violence and clan feuds, to drug offences, thefts, and road accidents, as part of the new policy of keeping Arab leaders informed and updated.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
