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Rioters setting fire to tires in the Druze village of Peki'in on Tuesday. (Yaron Kaminsky)
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Druze MK demands top cop's dismissal over Galilee clash
By Jack Khoury, Haaretz Correspondent, and Agencies
tags: Druze, Israel Police 

Druze lawmaker and deputy foreign minister Majali Wahabi (Kadima) called Tuesday for the dismissal of Northern District Police Chief Major General Shimon Koren, following what he termed the "use of unrestrained violence toward citizens" in clashes between police and local residents of the western Galilee town of Peki'in. The clash left 40 people injured, including two seriously, and erupted when a large police force entered the village to make arrests over a vandalized cellular phone antenna.

Police Commissioner David Cohen announced Tuesday afternoon he would appoint a committee of inquiry to investigate the clash. Cohen announced he would appoint the committee after Druze leaders and Arab MKs accused the police of brutality and demanded an inquiry into the conduct of the police.

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ome 27 police officers were among the wounded. Police and the Magen David Adom emergency service said that one civilian and one policemen sustained serious injuries in the clashes. Three of the civilians were wounded by live police ammunition.

Police defended opening fire on the residents, saying they did so only in self-defense.

Koren confirmed that the police used live ammunition in the town, arguing that the officers had found themselves in a life-threatening situation.

The clashes broke out early in the morning when a police force entered the village to arrest a number of locals suspected of torching the antenna two days ago.

Koren said the incident began while the arrests were taking place. He said a group of young men, aged between 17 and 24, began firing shots at police and hurled stun and tear gas grenades.

Koren also said that police officers were attacked by masked men, and that talks were underway with the Druze community leaders in order to avoid any further clashes.

One immediate result of the violence was the cancellation Tuesday of visits and organized tours to the town, planned for this weekend. The town has a youth hostel, a hotel and a number of tourist-related businesses that attract a large number of domestic tourists.

Sources in Peki'in said they had been looking forward to a wave of tourists in time for the upcoming olive harvest and festival. Education Ministry officials announced they were suspending all school trips to Peki'in for the time being. Peki'in Mayor Hamed Kheir said residents were furious about a cellular antenna installed on top of a chicken coop in New Peki'in, a nearby Jewish community.

"The problem is the antenna. For a month we've been talking with the antenna's owner to get him to take it down, because in Peki'in there are more than 100 cancer patients," Kheir told Army Radio. He added that youths from his town had destroyed the antenna over the weekend.

The mayor also said that 200 policemen had entered the village. He said the police force was too large for such an incident, and that they should have coordinated their arrival with him beforehand.

Samir Wahaba, who had been an advisor to former prime minister Ariel Sharon, said that there was no doubt that the police had erred.

"Our children serve in the police forces, and we have no problem with police. You cannot enter a village with such a large armed force in order to arrest five or six people," Wahaba said.

"Did the police first summon the suspects and did they not comply?" asked Wahaba. "Were the police in contact with local authorities to assure that things remained quiet? Why did the police use live ammunition? The police need to answer all of these questions," Wahaba said.

"We didn't enter Peki'in to educate or make order," Koren said in response. "We went in to make arrests. We will not allow those who disrupt order to do as they please."

Policewoman held hostage

During the clashes, a policewoman, Liat Daudi, became trapped in a Druze house of worship and was protected by a retired Druze policeman from the village. Daudi was later released reportedly in exchange for five local residents who had been arrested, following several hours of negotiations between police and community leaders. However, Koren said there was no connection between the release of the five and that of the policewoman, and that criminal proceedings against the five would continue.

Kheir, whose eyewitness statements and those of others about Daudi's situation were first reported by Haaretz, said that she was not being held hostage and was in no danger, and that in addition to the retired policeman, a number of Druze women and girls remained at her side.

However, Cohen told the press Nahariya Hospital that Daudi had been taken hostage, after she was attacked and dragged some 50 meters by young men. Northern District police spokesman Chief Superintendent Avi Edri said the event had ended as "the release of a policewoman without harm through dialogue instead of release by force that could have cost lives."

Rioters also set fire to the house of one of the few Jewish families who live near an ancient synagogue in the town, witnesses said. The house was empty and no one was hurt in the fire.

The Forum of Cellphone Companies said in a statement that the antenna installation was small and had a low output. It was located 300 meters from the village, while the safety range for such an antenna is 0.5 meters, the forum noted, adding that it had received all the necessary permits, among them one from the Environmental Protection Ministry.



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      1.   Ban Cellular Antennas In ALL Populated Areas 08:49  |  Yishai Kohen 30/10/07
      2.   Sad and tragic 08:53  |  Seth J. Frantzman 30/10/07
      3.   TO YISHAI KOHEN 09:48  |  Khalil Abo Mohammad 30/10/07
      4.   LAW AND ORDER 10:11  |  Jordan 30/10/07
      5.   Druses are able to protect themselves, who can protect jews? 10:12  |  jew 30/10/07
      6.   LAW AND ORDER but NOT in ARAB VILLAGES 10:21  |  Jordan 30/10/07
      7.   Khalil Abo Mohammad 10:35  |  jimmy 30/10/07
      8.   #6 The law isn`t in the interests of citizens 10:43  |  jew 30/10/07
      9.   Was let go after negotiations with Druze sheiks?? 10:48  |  Tamir Palestine 30/10/07
      10.   To Khalil Abo Mohammad 10:53  |  Yishai Kohen 30/10/07
      11.   The police actions are infuriating 11:09  |  Shlomo from Tel-Aviv 30/10/07
      12.   Stop giving Israeli citizenships to Druze 11:36  |  Tamir Palestine 30/10/07
      13.   #11 police beat haredim too 11:36  |  Seth 30/10/07
      14.   To Khalil abo 11:37  |  Kobi 30/10/07
      15.   Druze upset that we don`t all use a can and string to communicate 13:01  |  moish 30/10/07
      16.   # 11 and # 13 13:28  |  Ruth 30/10/07
      17.   # 15, they obviously don`t trust to israeli` law, see #8 13:29  |  jew 30/10/07
      18.   Ridiculous police work 13:33  |  Tosefta 30/10/07
      19.   Stupidity of police=stupidity of residents 13:40  |  Gene 30/10/07
      20.   To moish of jerusalem 13:45  |  Indiginous 30/10/07
      21.   #11 Shlomo 13:47  |  MR 30/10/07
      22.   October 2000 vs October 2007 13:48  |  Historian 30/10/07
      23.   Disorder, Ignorance, Violence 14:07  |  steve 30/10/07
      24.   Israel artificially creating an internal threat 14:16  |  Chris Linthwaite 30/10/07
      25.   Peki`in 14:25  |  Rocky 30/10/07
      26.   Why Did They Set Fire to Jewish Homes? Is the End for Druze Near? 14:46  |  Mike 30/10/07
      27.   THEY HELD A POLICEWOMAN HOSTAGE FOR HOURS 14:47  |  Tom Bell 30/10/07
      28.   to Khalil, let me guess# 3 14:48  |  Gabriel 30/10/07
      29.   The village`s correct name is "Bke`ah". please get it right 15:02  |  Rami 30/10/07
      30.   Police force out of touch 15:06  |  Rami 30/10/07
      31.   Khalil AM 15:11  |  ka 30/10/07
      32.   Halil abu muhamad 15:15  |  Abu Yusuf 30/10/07
      33.   Jews VS. Non-Jews..... 15:23  |  POP 30/10/07
      34.   Druze good, loyal citizens 15:32  |  MarkC 30/10/07
      35.   civilised 15:38  |  ka 30/10/07
      36.   Never on right wing Jews 15:43  |  Daniello 30/10/07
      37.   Take the d**n antenna down! The Druze are right! 15:52  |  Alicia 30/10/07
      38.   #12 Tamir P.: shame on you! 15:53  |  Alicia 30/10/07
      39.   Picking a fight with everybody not jewish 16:00  |  Esther 30/10/07
      40.   Exchange police with locals? 16:01  |  fiz 30/10/07
      41.   Palestine or Israel or WHAT? 16:05  |  Bjorn 30/10/07
      42.   Village`s correct name is "Bke`ah" NOT "Peki`in" 16:07  |  Rami 30/10/07
      43.   israeli police biggest morons in the country must beg druze forgi 16:35  |  Don 30/10/07
      44.   ramzi 16:46  |  alan 30/10/07
      45.   Loyalty needs to go both ways Tosefta 16:56  |  Mark Lincoln 30/10/07
      46.   Esther have you read the article? 17:09  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 30/10/07
      47.   To fiz in new york 17:15  |  SWAT 30/10/07
      48.   Related Articles 17:20  |  Realistic 30/10/07
      49.   This has been planned and excuted by the plolice 17:49  |  Eric 30/10/07
      50.   DRUZE ARE VERY LOYAL AND PEACEFUL: WHY THE POLICE STARTED THIS? 17:52  |  Haim 30/10/07
      51.   druze are special 17:56  |  cay 30/10/07
      52.   Arab Ball & Chain 18:00  |  Ron 30/10/07
      53.   Any cops being fired or suspended... 18:03  |  Yaakov K. 30/10/07
      54.   Israeli Establishment bewildered arabs want to destroy Israel 19:12  |  Absolute Sweden 30/10/07
      55.   Mishtarat Yisrael is only allowed to go after Jews? 19:22  |  Nephtaly 30/10/07
      56.   The Israeli Police Force 19:23  |  Michael 30/10/07
      57.   the other side of the story 19:47  |  peqi`in-girl 30/10/07
      58.   Margie in T/A 19:50  |  Esther 30/10/07
      59.   Maybe even Jumblatt will think twice,yes this goes beyond borders 19:51  |  Gemayel 30/10/07
      60.   absolute sweden 54 20:06  |  realism 30/10/07
      61.   The "use of unrestrained violence" 20:06  |  Joseph E . 30/10/07
      62.   tom bell 27 20:10  |  realism 30/10/07
      63.   Going Druze hunting 20:15  |  Simon 30/10/07
      64.   This Peki`in riots is a crystal clear indication of 20:55  |  Joseph E . 30/10/07
      65.   I just don`t understand ...... 21:11  |  maria 30/10/07
      66.   Live ammunition in civilian disturbance 21:15  |  Nathaniel 30/10/07
      67.   "Realism",they lost respect for the State unwilling to defend Sde 21:32  |  Absolute Sweden 30/10/07
      68.   #45 - Sure loyalty`s a two-way street 21:44  |  JES 30/10/07
      69.   #57 22:01  |  H. Torrance Griffin 30/10/07
      70.   absolute sweden 63 22:43  |  realism 30/10/07
      71.   "Realism",no ,you give a proof,for me Pekin+MP`s reaction+leaking 23:07  |  Absolute Sweden 30/10/07
      72.   #64 Nathaniel from Minneapolis 23:45  |  MR 30/10/07
      73.   where did this Druze uprising originate....Syria? 23:47  |  Reuven 30/10/07
      74.   # 68 realism 00:00  |  Joseph E . 31/10/07
      75.   Just another instance 01:06  |  Axel 31/10/07
      76.   Police out of control 02:27  |  Omran 31/10/07
      77.   The Druze will never understand 02:50  |  Palestinian Prince 31/10/07