The decision made by the Police Internal Affairs Bureau (IAB) Thursday not to press charges against the five officers who fired into a crowd during the Peki'in riots has infuriated many Israeli Arabs. Various MKs and other public figures who have been longtime critics of the IAB can now count deputy Foreign Minister, Majalli Whbee (Kadima) among their ranks.
| Police Cleared |
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| Police officers investigated in connection with Peki'in riots cleared / Efrat Weiss |
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Police Internal Affairs Bureau drops charges against five officers suspected of firing into crowd in northern town riots in October 2007; says officers' claims of life threatening situation could not be refuted |
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“It is apparent that in Israel there are those whose blood is more precious than others'," said Whbee, "this decision is a direct continuation of the policy of ignoring police failings.”
Hadash Chairman MK Mohammad Barakeh also criticized the decision, saying that “the last thing to surprise us is decisions of this kind coming from the same IAB that dropped charges against the murderers of our children in October 2006.” Barakeh added that “if anyone is looking to trust the Israeli law enforcement system, they must initiate a fundamental change in that system’s thought and approach towards the Arab population.”
Spokesman for the Israeli Arab Supreme Monitoring Committee, Abbed Anabtawi, claimed that this is a continuing policy by law enforcement authorities: “this decision indicates a tendentious institutional policy towards Israeli Arabs in general, whether Muslim or Druze. Therefore, we must fight together against this policy that jeopardizes our rights as well as our very existence.”
Chairman of the National Democratic Assembly (NDA), Jamal Zahalka, also attacked the authorities: “IAB has become an expert on dropping charges of police officers who have acted violently against Arab demonstrators. The Arab public has lost its trust such an institution that has officers investigating their colleagues. IAB depicts the government’s true attitude based on discrimination and disrespect towards its Arab citizens.”
MK Talab El-Sana of Ra`am-Ta`al said: “IAB are incredibly consistent in dropping charges and covering up for their officers. It’s called the ‘one good turn deserves another’ policy.”
The Peki'in riots broke out in late October 2007 after enraged residents set out to protest the installation of a cellular antenna in a newly developed part of the town. In the ensuing confrontation with police units sent into the town, 29 policemen were wounded as well as 13 Druze residents and a number of Magen David Adom paramedics. A police officer and a resident were severely injured. A policewoman who was taken hostage by a number of residents was peacefully extracted in coordination with local clerics.
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