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The evacuation of Amona (AP File)
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Internal Security Minister Gideon Ezra in younger days. (Knessset photo)
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Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman MK Yuval Steinitz. (Knessset photo)
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| By Israel Insider staff and partners March 1, 2006 |
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Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and Public Safety Minister Gideon Ezra appeared in place of senior IDF and police officials Wednesday in the opening session of a Knesset investigation into the events of the violence of the January evacuation of the Samarian outpost of Amona.
While carrying out the evacuation and demolition of nine houses in Amona, police clashed with thousands of protectors. More than 250 people were injured, including over 80 policemen.
On Tuesday, security officials sought to undermine the committee. Internal Security Minister Gideon Ezra declared that "no police officer will appear before the committee, only I will."
"The political rank must not undermine a police officer or soldier under any circumstances," he explained.
"The committee is political and if they have any problems they should deal with politicians and not put the burden on the back of the policemen," said Ezra.
"I expect the committee's chairman to back the security forces, police officers and soldiers, and not to lead to incitement by people such as (National Union MK) Uri Ariel," Ezra said.
Mofaz and Ezra have sparked anger from right-wingers over their appearance, which they said was meant to avoid a situation in which campaigning lawmakers make political hay from attacking the army chief and police brass during an election campaign.
MK Yuval Steinitz (Likud) criticized the decision, saying that "Minister Ezra is in need of a democracy lesson."
"In any case, the inquiry commission does not plan on summoning the single soldier or police officer, whom Ezra is protecting with total devotion just before the elections, but rather the police commissioner and the district commander, in order to hear from them what were the orders they received from the political echelon, and to hear about the execution and the lessons, if there are any," Steinitz said.
"There is no doubt that the police elite will appear before the committee as Ezra personally promised me only two days ago, and this will be done in the most serious and respected manner, as is customary in civilized democracies," Steinitz added.
MK Uri Ariel (National Union) said in response that "the decision is a disgrace to the Knesset and contempt toward the citizens who elected its members."
"Kadima members are hypocrites. Suddenly, they don?t have faith in the Knesset and in the decisions of its committees. They apparently have something to hide," he added.
'I represent the police'
Ezra made the decision after consulting the Internal Security Ministry's legal department, as well as the attorney general's office. According to the law, Ezra must now face the commission instead of police officers.
"I represent the police, so I will arrive instead of them. Not one of the police officers will appear. I shall not let the National Union and the Likud make political gains at the expense of the security forces," the minister told Ynet.
"If somebody has a complaint against an individual policeman, they can go to the Police Investigative Department," he said, adding that it was forbidden for politicians to attack the police or the soldiers in any way.
Apart from Steinitz, the special commission will also be chaired by MKs Matan Vilnai (Labor), Uri Ariel (National Union-National Religious Party) and Ilan Shalgi (Secular Faction). They will be the ones who will question the summoned figures (including Ehud Olmert) and write their conclusions, which will then be brought to the approval of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and later to the Knesset's approval.
In response to a question raised by Amona inquiry committee chairman, Steinitz, as to who gave the order to use clubs against the protesters, Ezra said that police were acting in accordance to written procedure.
Olmert has expressed his outright opposition to an inquiry into the Amona clashes.
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