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Last update - 16:04 28/01/2008
Israeli Arab group declares strike over AG decision on Oct. 2000 riots
By Yuval Yoaz, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Arab Israelis, October 

The Israeli Arab Higher Monitoring Committee said on Monday that the Arab sector will go on a business strike on Friday, following Attorney General Menachem Mazuz's decision not to indict the police officers involved in the killing of 13 Arab Israelis during the riots of October, 2000.

The strike and a protest rally, also scheduled for Friday, were unanimously approved by the Israeli Arab umbrella organization in a meeting held in Nazareth Monday morning. It was also decided to ask the assistance of international legal bodies in the inquest into the riots.

Mazuz released an official legal opinion Sunday, reaffirming the Justice Ministry's Police Investigations Department (PID) decision from September, 2005 to terminate the investigation into the officers' actions.
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The Arab citizens were rioting in solidarity with the Palestinian intifada which had just begun in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. During the riots, which lasted some 10 days, 12 Israeli Arabs and one Palestinian resident of the Gaza Strip were shot and killed by Israeli police and security forces during violent demonstrations in a number of towns and villages.

MK Taleb El-Sana (Ra'am-Ta'al) said that "Mazuz's decision is the sacrificing of law and justice at the altar of Zionism and racism. Had the victims been Jewish the State of Israel would have raised hell. Apartheid South Africa could have taken pride in such a decision. We demand Mazuz to resign."

MK Ibrahim Sarsur (Ra'am-Ta'al), the head of the Islamic Movement's southern branch, said Monday that he is in favor of exhuming the bodies of the 13 victims if an international investigation is launched.

Labor MK Nadia Hilou sent a letter to Mazuz on Monday, in which she expressed her worries about the future of Israeli democracy following his decision, which "threatens the already volatile Arab-Jewish coexistence in Israel." She asked Mazuz: "What will you tell the families of the victims when you look them in the eye ? they were not shot by UFOs."

In his official declaration, Mazuz said that in addition to many evidentiary problems that stem from the long period of time that has passed since the incident, "we had to take into consideration the fact that the incident involved on-the-spot judgment in an emergency situation, under circumstances that don't justify the casting of criminal blame."

He nonetheless added that this "should not be taken to mean that [involvement in] the incidents should not affect the officers' careers."

Peres: Mazuz based his decision on the highest levels of the law

President Shimon Peres reacted Monday to Mazuz's decision, saying that he "based his decision on the highest levels of the law."

"I do not believe that Mazuz tried to blur the truth - apparently there was not enough evidence from a legal standpoint. This proves that the Attorney General is not a politician," Peres said.

The President added that while he "understands the feelings of the Israeli Arabs, Ben Gurion once said that politicians cannot be judges and judges should not dabble in politics".

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    <
      1.   Israeli racism made manifest again.What if the victims were Jews? 06:04  |  peacelover 28/01/08
      2.   haaretz! what happened to all comments of several hours back? 08:35  |  vladimir 28/01/08
      3.   AG Mazuz committed a war crime & deserves Eichmans fate 10:01  |  Uzi Hirschberg 28/01/08
      4.   Expulsion of traitor Arab MKs next? 10:36  |  Clickfool 28/01/08
      5.   Arabs wouldn`t allow autopsies 11:17  |  David Teich 28/01/08
      6.   Peacelover,arab serial murderers of Israeli children 13:27  |  Absolute Sweden 28/01/08
      7.   # 1 peacelover...what kind of court system do you have? 13:55  |  Lynn 28/01/08
      8.   #5 David Teich shows the typical zionist sensitivities 13:59  |  Johnboy 28/01/08
      9.   @5, david teich. arabs did use innocent corpse 14:17  |  vladimir 28/01/08
      10.   israeli bashers 14:38  |  vladimir 28/01/08
      11.   Well that`s Israel in a nut shell. 14:45  |  Hector Lopez 28/01/08
      12.   It took 8 years to claim"it has passed to much time" 15:04  |  Benjamin 28/01/08
      13.   Little Hector ,what about giving the Basques what they rightfully 15:06  |  Absolute Sweden 28/01/08
      14.   israel bashers2 15:11  |  vladimir 28/01/08
      15.   #8 - the law is the law 16:04  |  JADR 28/01/08
      16.   #1 16:07  |  Moshe 28/01/08
      17.   Natives are dissturbed,cant riot,murder,loot 16:50  |  TOMY 28/01/08
      18.   As Part of the Strike 17:20  |  Ron 28/01/08
      19.   Short and Simple a 5th Column - Either they are Israeli and loyal 17:23  |  Jack 28/01/08
      20.   8: Yes, JB, we Zionists are sensitive, we use facts 17:33  |  David Teich 28/01/08
      21.   12: Benji in fantasy land with JB 17:35  |  David Teich 28/01/08
      22.   to Moshe (#16) 18:02  |  Finnish Guy 28/01/08
      23.   #4 18:33  |  Moshe 28/01/08
      24.   #3 18:52  |  Ben 28/01/08
      25.   Whoops #3 - probably joking 19:04  |  Ben 28/01/08
      26.   david teich 6 22:36  |  realism 28/01/08
      27.   #20 What do you expect an autopsy to "prove", David? 06:44  |  Johnboy 29/01/08
      28.   #20 David insists Israel wants "the facts" 07:16  |  Johnboy 29/01/08
      29.   #21 Fantasyland? David needs to look in the mirror 08:08  |  Johnboy 29/01/08
      30.   27-29: Ignorance remains JB`s forte, p2 12:35  |  David Teich 31/01/08
      31.   #30 A deeply ignorant man, is David the Pontificator 01:49  |  Johnboy 01/02/08
      32.   JB again claims no defense is good 17:17  |  David Teich 01/02/08
      33.   Oh, yeah, JB, what about the other death? 17:19  |  David Teich 01/02/08
      34.   #32 Deny, deny, deny says David Teich. 05:04  |  Johnboy 02/02/08
      35.   #33 What about the other death, David? 05:10  |  Johnboy 02/02/08
      36.   #32 David is too lazy to research his own question 10:39  |  Johnboy 02/02/08
      37.   27-29: Ignorance remains JB`s forte, p1 (3rd try 19:19  |  David Teich 02/02/08
      38.   #37 2nd try to pose a question to David Teich 07:53  |  Johnboy 03/02/08
      39.   38: JB, always poses, never answers 22:39  |  David Teich 03/02/08
      40.   34-36: Yes, I do say you deny, JB (2nd try) 22:40  |  David Teich 03/02/08
      41.   #39 That so, David? 07:53  |  Johnboy 04/02/08
      42.   #40 Let`s look at David`s "facts" 08:15  |  Johnboy 04/02/08
      43.   41: poor JB, logic escapes him 13:40  |  David Teich 04/02/08
      44.   42: No, JB, you looked away 14:01  |  David Teich 04/02/08
      45.   #43 That so, David? 14:23  |  Johnboy 04/02/08
      46.   #44 David, always good for a chuckle 14:38  |  Johnboy 04/02/08
      47.   #44 Whoopsies abound from Teichie 14:51  |  Johnboy 04/02/08
      48.   #44 I am now pointing this out for the THIRD TIME 15:02  |  Johnboy 04/02/08
      49.   Wow, JB spews again. Let`s have fun, p1 15:36  |  David Teich 06/02/08
      50.   Wow, JB spews again. Let`s have fun, p2 15:49  |  David Teich 06/02/08
      51.   Wow, JB spews again. Let`s have fun, p3 16:00  |  David Teich 06/02/08
      52.   #49 Fun and games indeed, David 03:17  |  Johnboy 07/02/08
      53.   #50 David`s "logic" refutes the "facts" 03:39  |  Johnboy 07/02/08
      54.   #51 David tries to extricate himself 04:13  |  Johnboy 07/02/08
      55.   #51 And since we`re quoting from Or`s summary 04:21  |  Johnboy 07/02/08
      56.   #51 Time enough for one more quote from Or 04:35  |  Johnboy 07/02/08
      57.   #51 David`s Hiiiiiilarious contradictions 04:50  |  Johnboy 07/02/08
      58.   Just so there is no mistake and no misunderstanding....... 05:36  |  Johnboy 07/02/08
      59.   #51 David`s problems with terminology 07:02  |  Johnboy 07/02/08
      60.   #49 Fun indeed, David 2nd try 09:58  |  Johnboy 07/02/08
      61.   #49 Let`s toast David slooooowly on the fire, shall we? 10:24  |  Johnboy 07/02/08
      62.   #50 Havin` fun with David`s crazy logic (tm) - 2nd try 10:35  |  Johnboy 07/02/08
      63.   #51 David`s "funny quoting" of Or - 2nd try. 11:02  |  Johnboy 07/02/08
      64.   Johny`s "flood the board" game is back! p2 16:13  |  David Teich 08/02/08
      65.   Johny`s "flood the board" game is back! p3 16:22  |  David Teich 08/02/08
      66.   Johny`s "flood the board" game is back! p4 16:35  |  David Teich 08/02/08
      67.   Time to review David`s delusions Part 1 03:36  |  Johnboy 10/02/08
      68.   Time to review David`s delusions Part 2 03:42  |  Johnboy 10/02/08
      69.   Attn: Censors, I know you don`t want discussions, but 16:55  |  David Teich 10/02/08
      70.   Wow, JB spews again. Let`s have fun, p4 (3rd try) 16:55  |  David Teich 10/02/08
      71.   Johny`s "flood the board" game is back! p1 (2nd try) 16:56  |  David Teich