The violent events of October 2000, which left 13 Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel dead, have taken a heavy toll on the Palestinian community in Israel. Whatever the results of the Or Commission, there will be no consolation for the families of those killed. Nor can the damage done to the relationship between the state of Israel and its Palestinian citizens be easily repaired.

Events of October 2000 Inside Israel

September 28, 2000: The "Al Aqsa Intifada" began after Ariel Sharon's provocative visit to Haram al-Sharif; one of the Palestinians killed during the first few days of confrontations in the mosque compound was a resident of Umm al-Fahem, a Palestinian village inside Israel
October 1 - 5: Demonstrations among Palestinian Arab citizens throughout Northern Israel were met with violence by Israeli police; 10 Palestinian citizens were killed in the course of 3 days
October 6: Jewish youths began rampaging through the streets of Tiberias, hurling burning tires at a mosque; the violence spread to Jerusalem where dozens of ultra-orthodox youths threw stones at Arab vehicles and attacked Palestinian workers
October 7: Approximately 200 Israeli Jews attacked Arab homes in Nazareth Illit, including the home of an Arab MK (Member of Knesset)
October 8-9: Thousands of Jews participated in violent acts against Palestinian Arab citizens; 2 Palestinian residents of Nazareth were killed in the violence.
By the end of 10 days of violence, 13 Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel had been killed, and hundreds injured, by Israeli police or Israeli Jews. Over the course of the next few months, human rights organizations reported trends of arbitrary arrest and detention, as well as inhumane treatment of those in custody. Hundreds were arrested in the North in connection with the October demonstrations - approximately 2/3 of the arrests were Palestinian Arabs; 1/3 were Jews. For months after the demonstrations had ended, the police continued to arrest Arab citizens. Many of those arrested were held without bail and denied counsel, some were forced into making false confessions.

The Or Commission

Israel's response to the deaths of 13 of its Palestinian citizens in October 2000 was shamefully hesitant. Prime Minster Ehud Barak originally called for the establishment of a "committee of clarification," but strengthened this language under intense pressure from Arab MKs, non-governmental organizations and the Palestinian community. The Or Commission was established on 8 November 2000 to investigate the October clashes "which involved police and Arab and Jewish Citizens of Israel"

Testimonies have been given before the Commission by police officers and commanders, as well as Palestinian citizens and community leaders. These witnesses have consistently confirmed the following:

° The Palestinian demonstrators were unarmed and posed no threat to the lives of the Israeli security forces present.
° Police provided inadequate protection for Palestinian citizens under attack by Jewish mobs; Jews throwing Molotov cocktails were protected by Israeli security forces while unarmed Palestinians were accosted with tear gas and rubber coated metal bullets.
° The use of physical force, beatings and live ammunition by the police was widespread and indiscriminate. In some cases snipers were dispatched to rooftops, and permission to open fire was often granted without any description of the situation at hand.