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Revision as of 09:53, 20 February 2007 by Tiamut (talk | contribs) (removing merge tag - see talk in response to Tewfik's addition of tag)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)The October 2000 events is a term used to describe several days of protests in northern Israel that soon escalated into clashes between Arab citizens of Israel and Israel Police. Thirteen people - 12 of whom were Arab citizens of Israel - were shot and killed by the Israeli police. The disturbances occurred as Palestinians in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip began what is now known as the Al-Aqsa Intifada.
Israeli media outlets refer to the events as "The October 2000 Riots" or "October 2000 Events" (אירועי אוקטובר 2000). Arab citizens of Israel sometimes refer to it as "The October Ignition" (هبة أكتوبر).
The Or Commission was established to investigate the root causes for the events of October 2000, and specifically, the police response to these events.
Background
On 29 September, Israeli security forces shot and killed at least five people and wounded 200 others, during violent clashes when were stones thrown over the Western Wall at Jews and tourists below after Friday prayers at the al-Aqsa Mosque . About 70 policemen were also reportedly injured in the clashes.
Some believe that longstanding tensions had erupted, catalyzed by Ariel Sharon's visit to the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif compound, the day previous,. Conversely, some sources contend that the Intifada was planned by the Palestinian Authority or other Palestinian groups. .
On 30 September, the Arab Higher Monitoring Committee - an umbrella group representing Arab citizens of Israel - called for the Arab community to mount a general strike to protest the killings of the previous day. Demonstrations followed, becoming more widespread after television viewers watched the death of 12-year-old Muhammad al-Dura, shot at Netzarim Junction on 30 September in the Gaza Strip. False allegations were made that he was shot by Israeli forces.
The Arab Human Rights Association, and other Arab-Israeli NGOs have cited their claims of “deep rooted frustration at their own status as second class Israeli citizens,” as an underlying factor accounting for the widespread involvement of Arab citizens of Israel in the protests.
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