New Publication: October 2000 - Law and Politics before the Or Commission

Adalah: The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel announces the publication of a new report titled, "October 2000 - Law and Politics before the Or Commission." The publication, written in Hebrew, sets forth the concluding arguments submitted by Adalah to the official Commission of Inquiry into the October 2000 protest demonstrations on 5 December 2002. These arguments were 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, the three Arab elected and public representatives who received warning letters issued by the Commission in February 2002.

The publication details, inter alia, the acts and omissions of the executive branch leading up to and during the events of October 2000, and the attempts made by these officials to cover up the facts. During the protest demonstrations of October 2000, 13 Palestinian citizens of Israel were killed by the Israeli police and security forces, and hundreds more were injured. The publication presents the uncivil treatment of ministerial-level officials and the police towards Palestinian citizens of Israel. The publication also presents legal arguments against the Commission's decision to issue warning letters to the Arab elected and public representatives. Numerous appendices of primary source documents are also included in the publication, which relate directly to Adalah's work before the Commission as well as relevant decisions issued by the Commission.

Adalah Staff Attorney, Marwan Dalal is the editor of the 191-page Hebrew-language publication. Copies of the publication may be obtained, free of charge, from Adalah. Please call the office at (972)(0)4-950-1610 or send an email to request a copy. An English-language summary of "October 2000 - Law and Politics before the Or Commission," is forthcoming.

See Adalah's website at www.adalah.org to view the table of contents of this publication in Hebrew and in English.