New English Language Publication October 2000 - Law and Politics before the Or Commission of Inquiry

Adalah announces the publication of a new English-language report, "October 2000 - Law and Politics before the Or Commission of Inquiry." Written by Adalah Attorney Marwan Dalal, the report presents the key issues raised in the concluding arguments submitted by Adalah to the official Commission of Inquiry into the October 2000 protest demonstrations on 5 December 2002. That submission was filed on behalf of Members of Knesset Dr. Azmi Bishara (National Democratic Assembly) and 'Abd al-Malek Dahamshe (United Arab List), and the head of the Islamic Movement in Israel, Sheikh Ra'ed Salah. These three Arab elected representatives each received a warning letter from the Commission on 27 February 2002. The warning letters advise the recipients that they are likely to be harmed by the inquiry or its results.

The publication discusses the main reasons for the October 2000 protest demonstrations in Israel, which resulted in the killing of 13 unarmed Palestinian citizens of the state and the injury of hundreds of others by the police. The establishment of the Commission, its mandate, its proceedings, and the warnings it issued are also examined.

The concluding arguments detail many of the acts and omissions of executive branch officials, both government ministers and police commanders, leading up to and during the protest demonstrations of October 2000, and the attempts made by these state authorities to cover up their failures. It also describes numerous instances of police violence against Palestinian citizens of Israel, both before and during October 2000, and refers to the central and negative role of the General Security Services (GSS) in setting state policy toward the Arab community.

The main argument advanced by Adalah is that the issuance of the warnings by the Commission against the three Arab public representatives is illegal. Adalah also comprehensively refuted the allegations set forth by the Commission against them, and therefore argued that the content of the warnings should not be included in the final conclusions and recommendations of the Commission.

Adalah published the concluding arguments in full in March 2003, with introductory remarks and other primary source documents. That volume - "October 2000: Law and Politics before the Or Commission" - published in Hebrew, is also available from Adalah.

Copies of both publications may be obtained, free of charge. Contact Adalah via email at: adalah@adalah.org or by telephone, +972-(0)4-950-1610. See Adalah's website at www.adalah.org to view the table of contents of these reports.