Israel to compensate families of dead Arabs
Source: Reuters
JERUSALEM, Nov 16 (Reuters) - An Israeli court on Thursday endorsed a deal for the state to pay an undisclosed sum in compensation to the families of Arab victims shot dead by police during riots six years ago, the Justice Ministry said. Thirteen Israeli Arab citizens were killed in riots in October 2000 in the north of the country but only 11 families of victims participated in the legal proceedings. The agreement also specified that the state did not take any responsibility for the deaths. The deal was thrashed out and ratified by Nazareth District Court. A Justice Ministry statement quoted on the Haaretz daily's Web site said: "... The state has agreed, beyond the letter of the law and despite its belief that it is not responsible for damages caused during the events, and without confirming the plaintiff's allegations, to pay the amount ..." Israel's Arabs said that excessive force was used by police to break up demonstrations which were prompted by the outbreak of a Palestinian uprising in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank days before. A subsequent state commission of inquiry reprimanded then-Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and other officials for the handling of the riots. Arabs make up 20 percent of the Jewish state's population and have long complained of discrimination. While generally sympathetic to the struggle of their Palestinian brethren for statehood in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, Israeli Arabs have rarely taken up arms.
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