The commission was established despite the objection of Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s Kadima Party, as well as the Labor Party. Labor dropped its initial call for an investigation after advisors said it would harm the party in the polls.
Defense Minister Sha’ul Mofaz, speaking prior to the vote, said he sees no reason to establish a committee of investigation into the events at Amona, and lends his full support to the demolition forces.
MK Zevulun Orlev (NRP), whose colleague MK Sha’ul Yahalom put forth the proposal for the inquiry, said that the investigation was required in order to ascertain who gave the order to police to use “excessive force, including beating protestors in the head with batons and releasing horses into crowds, wounding those who were employing passive resistance as well as those who were not.”
“Whoever is interested in investigating the behavior of the settlers, should feel free to do so as well,” Orlev added.
The precise mandate of the commission will be determined by the Knesset House Committee. Following the 37-32 vote, Knesset Speaker Ruby Rivlin warned that the decision is valid only for the current, outgoing Knesset. If the commission is not completed before the end of the Knesset's current term, the next Knesset will not be bound to carry it out.
The Zionist Organization of America supported the call for an official inquiry into "how the police and protesters conducted themselves.
ZOA President Morton Klein said, “The ZOA is appalled and distressed at the violent scenes in Amona, and at the Israeli government decision to demolish Jewish homes there, especially at this time, just days after Hamas’ election victory, and in this excessively violent and confrontational way."
“The responsibility lies with Ehud Olmert,” Likud MK Gideon Sa’ar said. “They [the Amona supporters] announced that they were ready for a compromise – did anyone speak with them? Did anyone listen to the military officials who asked why the place was not closed off earlier?”
Sa’ar then turned to Olmert, demanding, “What are you afraid of? Why are you against allowing the Knesset to do its job and inspect the actions of the government? If everything was done legitimately – you shouldn’t be afraid of an investigation!”
MK Effie Eitam (National Union), who suffered a head injury from a mounted policeman in Amona, said that only by the grace of Heaven were there no deaths as a result of the violence carried out by security forces. “The question of whether the events at Amona were the first chapter in a civil war or the brink of such events can only be answered through the establishment of an investigatory committee.”
“An investigatory committee is not aimed at the police officer who hit me, or against the horse that trampled me,” Eitam, a former IDF general said. “The security establishment wanted a compromise, the Attorney General enabled such a move, and in my opinion there was one man who wanted this bloody spectacle,” he said, gesturing toward Olmert.
Defense Minister Sha’ul Mofaz, speaking prior to the vote, said he sees no reason to establish a committee of investigation into the events at Amona, and lends his full support to the demolition forces.
MK Zevulun Orlev (NRP), whose colleague MK Sha’ul Yahalom put forth the proposal for the inquiry, said that the investigation was required in order to ascertain who gave the order to police to use “excessive force, including beating protestors in the head with batons and releasing horses into crowds, wounding those who were employing passive resistance as well as those who were not.”
“Whoever is interested in investigating the behavior of the settlers, should feel free to do so as well,” Orlev added.
The precise mandate of the commission will be determined by the Knesset House Committee. Following the 37-32 vote, Knesset Speaker Ruby Rivlin warned that the decision is valid only for the current, outgoing Knesset. If the commission is not completed before the end of the Knesset's current term, the next Knesset will not be bound to carry it out.
The Zionist Organization of America supported the call for an official inquiry into "how the police and protesters conducted themselves.
ZOA President Morton Klein said, “The ZOA is appalled and distressed at the violent scenes in Amona, and at the Israeli government decision to demolish Jewish homes there, especially at this time, just days after Hamas’ election victory, and in this excessively violent and confrontational way."
“The responsibility lies with Ehud Olmert,” Likud MK Gideon Sa’ar said. “They [the Amona supporters] announced that they were ready for a compromise – did anyone speak with them? Did anyone listen to the military officials who asked why the place was not closed off earlier?”
Sa’ar then turned to Olmert, demanding, “What are you afraid of? Why are you against allowing the Knesset to do its job and inspect the actions of the government? If everything was done legitimately – you shouldn’t be afraid of an investigation!”
MK Effie Eitam (National Union), who suffered a head injury from a mounted policeman in Amona, said that only by the grace of Heaven were there no deaths as a result of the violence carried out by security forces. “The question of whether the events at Amona were the first chapter in a civil war or the brink of such events can only be answered through the establishment of an investigatory committee.”
“An investigatory committee is not aimed at the police officer who hit me, or against the horse that trampled me,” Eitam, a former IDF general said. “The security establishment wanted a compromise, the Attorney General enabled such a move, and in my opinion there was one man who wanted this bloody spectacle,” he said, gesturing toward Olmert.