One of 13 killed: Ramez Bushnak
Victims' relatives at press conference
Photo: Gil Yohanan
Relatives of October 2000 victims: We’ll seek justice in international court
Six years after riots in which 13 Arabs were killed, relatives of victims ask: Why has no one been tried? At press conference, Hilmi Bushnak, whose brother was among victims, charges Police Investigation Unit with cover-up plot, says he’ll fight to the end to see killers brought to justice
Hilmi Bushnak, whose brother Ramez was killed by Israeli police during the October 2000 riots in Kfar Manda, charged the Police Investigation Unit Sunday with attempting to hush up the incident.
“The Police Investigation Unit (PIU) is trying to bury the issue, but we want to wake it up. We won’t be quiet until the murderers stand trial,” Bushnak told Ynet.
Six years have passes since the October 2000 riots, in which 13 Israeli Arabs were killed, but for many the wounds are far from healed.
At a press conference Sunday held by the Adalah organization, the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, a report was presented claiming that “unacceptable cooperation took place between police investigators and the suspects in the killing of Arab citizens in the events of October 2000.”
“I witnessed the events in Kfar Manda, I saw my brother being killed before my eyes," Bushnak said. "He was 300 meters away from the cops and was killed although he was innocent of any crime."
“I always had the feeling we were second class citizens, and it became clear we are discriminated against in protests as well when they (police) opened fire on us with live ammunition. Thirteen citizens were killed in a field trial – without having done anything. That’s how it was with my brother, that’s how it was with Rami Ghara, who was shot from 1.5 meters away, while his murderer – and we know who it is – wasn't tried; and with Assil Assaleh who was shot point blank.
“And what did the PIU make of all this? Nothing. The case is in deep freeze, and they want to keep it dormant,” he charged.
‘Bogus democracy’
“We are in a country that appears to be democratic, until you get to the PIU and you discover totally primitive conduct,” charged Raafat Hamaiseh, whose brother Muhammad was among those killed as well.“How is it possible that in a democratic country 13 people are killed and no one stands trial? Thirteen young people were killed, in the spring of their lives, and the PIU claims there is no one to charge – how is that possible?” Hamaiseh demanded.
“The PIU didn’t even investigate five of the incidents, including ours. How can they file a summarizing report without even probing our case?”
The families of the victims vowed to continue their struggle until the killers were brought to justice. “This is why we are holding this press conference,” Bushnak noted. “Even if it takes 20 years, we’ll continue until there is a real investigation and until we see the PIU or the State really wants to find out the truth about the identity of those who killed the youths and why.”
“We point an accusing finger at the political echelons and the police, and we demand to see progress in the case. Until the murderers stand trial – we’ll continue our fight,” he added.
Involving an international court
After the report was presented MK Jamal Zahalka (National Democratic Assembly) noted, “If we don’t achieve our demands that truth and justice be investigated – we’ll work towards an international investigation into the killings, the cover-up and the deception.”Bushnak doesn’t exclude the possibility of an international probe. “We definitely considered turning to international elements to rouse the issue,” he said.
Hamaiseh, on his part, enthusiastically supports the initiative. “Since the beginning we discussed the possibility. This time we’re giving the State one last chance, after six years, and we want everyone involved in killing our boys to stand trial. If this doesn’t happen – we’ll fight to the end and we’ll go to international courts for justice to be done,” he said.
And what justice are the families seeking? Hamaiseh says, “From my perspective, everyone involved in the murder – from (former) Prime Minister Ehud Barak, to (police commanders) Alik Ron and Guy Reif, to the cop that fired. The cop himself is not alone responsible – he’ll claim that he was given orders from above. Thus, my hope is that everyone involved will stand trial. This would be justice in my view, and I’ll devote my whole life to achieving it if I have to.”
“Our goal is to resuscitate the matter and move things forward. Unfortunately, in the meantime I’m pessimistic,” Bushnak concluded.
