Israeli Arabs mark 10 years since October 2000 riots

MK Ahmed Tibi calls on Attorney General Weinstein to reopen case of 13 Arab Israelis killed during riots and charge policemen responsible.

jaffa day of rage rally 311 (photo credit: Ben Hartman)
jaffa day of rage rally 311
(photo credit: Ben Hartman)
Demonstrators gathered across Israel over the weekend to commemorate the October 2000 riots, in which police clashed with Israeli-Arab rioters, leaving 13 dead.
On Friday, the Arab Higher Monitoring Committee declared a general strike to commemorate the events. The deaths and the failure to prosecute those responsible have become a byword in the Israeli-Arab community for the sector’s contentious and complicated relations with the state.
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Speaking before thousands of demonstrators in the Galilee village of Kafr Kanna on Friday, Israeli-Arab MK Ahmed Tibi (United Arab List-Ta’al) called on Attorney- General Yehuda Weinstein to reopen the criminal cases against the policemen who shot and killed the rioters, and present indictments against them.
According to Tibi, “the most severe incidents of October 2000 were the killings and the failure to put on trial the criminals responsible.” Tibi said the families of the victims and all Israeli Arabs have felt anger and pain for 10 years. The incident “left a black stain upon the life of the State of Israel.”
Tibi also stated that since October 2000, the level of racism in Israel has risen “and today stands at a terrifying peak.”
The rally was held as part of a protest march that left Kafr Kanna to mark the anniversary of the riots. The march was attended by the victims’ relatives, Knesset members, Arab and Jewish peace activists and members of the Arab Higher Monitoring Committee.
MK Taleb A-Sanaa (United Arab List-Ta’al) announced that “The Arab public renews its commitment to the victims of October. It will not forgive or forget and will pursue the murderers and those who sent them until they pay a price.” The families of those killed in the riots have continued to call for a new investigation into their deaths and for the policemen responsible to be put on trial.
Jerusalem Post staff contributed to this report.