Former Israeli prime minister, Ehud Barak, speaking before the special commission of inquiry into the killing of 13 Israeli Arabs in October 2000, rejected Tuesday the claims that he had ordered the police during the demonstartions to reopen major roads "by any means," despite the risk to human life that this would entail.
Barak said such an order contradicted his policy during the events, which called for using all means necessary for restoring calm. Barak said that a "separatist Arab group with nationalist political demands" was responsible for the outbreak of the October 2000 riots. Among others, Barak explicitly blamed the National Democratic Alliance, headed by Azmi Bishara and the Islamic Movement.
According to Haaretz, Barak was asked whether he had given any thought to developments in Israeli Arab society that led to the violent protests. He said that he had been aware of the goings-on, and that proof of this was the evaluation of the situation that was made on September 29, shortly after the riots broke out on the Temple Mount. Barak said that he warned that events in the Palestinian territories might spread to within Israel.
Barak said that he had received accounts on every important event and reviewed intelligence reports. Barak blamed extremist forces in the Arab sector for the riots. (Albawaba.com)
