The final report by the Ohr Commission, which investigated the Israeli-Arab riots of October 2000, are to be released this Monday. The three-judge commission was charged with investigating the progression of events and finding their causes. It will be recalled that the riots broke out around the same time as the Oslo War, and involved several days of Arabs blocking off major highways; beating Jews in and out of their cars; firebombs, stonings, and arson of Israeli targets - and the killing of 13 Arabs by police. The commission has issued warnings to 14 public figures, indicating that its findings may be hurtful to them.
The fact that 11 of them were to Israeli public figures, including then-Prime Minister Barak, then-Public Security Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami, and several policemen, and only three were issued to Arabs, may be indicative of the commission's conclusions. The three Arabs are Sheikh Raad Salah, who is currently in prison awaiting other charges, and MKs Azmi Bishara and Abdel Malek Dahamshe, who are all suspected of inciting the Arab mobs to violence.
The police are investigating reports that an unidentified person attempted to break in last night to the Government Printing Office where the commission's report is being printed. A guard saw the intruder who had managed to jump the fence and enter the building compound; he escaped after the guard shot in the air.
The fact that 11 of them were to Israeli public figures, including then-Prime Minister Barak, then-Public Security Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami, and several policemen, and only three were issued to Arabs, may be indicative of the commission's conclusions. The three Arabs are Sheikh Raad Salah, who is currently in prison awaiting other charges, and MKs Azmi Bishara and Abdel Malek Dahamshe, who are all suspected of inciting the Arab mobs to violence.
The police are investigating reports that an unidentified person attempted to break in last night to the Government Printing Office where the commission's report is being printed. A guard saw the intruder who had managed to jump the fence and enter the building compound; he escaped after the guard shot in the air.