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February 22, 2006
Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations
Commends Knesset Vote Establishing Panel to Investigate
Evacuation in Amona
The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of
America, the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella
organization, today commended the Knesset for voting to
establish a parliamentary panel tasked with investigating the
evacuation of nine homes in Amona three weeks ago; an operation
that saw passive civilian protesters brutally beaten by police
and law enforcement personnel injured by the actions of
protesters. In all, the dark day left hundreds injured, many
severely.
Two weeks ago the Union sent a letter to Acting Prime Minister
Olmert urging him “to establish an independent commission of
inquiry to determine why the police brutality that took place in
Amona was employed and to draw lessons from it so that such
violent conduct by law enforcement personnel will never again
occur.”
The panel approved in the Knesset today will delve into such
questions as whether the government exhausted all means
available to prevent needless bloodshed; whether the security
forces considered alternate means of evacuation and, if so, why
they were not implemented; and whether there were any violations
of the law during the operation. Importantly, the committee will
determine whether excessive force was used against the
protesters during the evacuation.
President Stephen J. Savitsky and Executive Vice President Rabbi
Tzvi H. Weinreb issued the following statement:
Today we commend the Knesset for voting in favor of establishing
a parliamentary panel to investigate the operation in Amona. The
vote is representative of the reality that Israel, unlike any
other state in the Middle East, will continue to be governed by
the rule of law and democracy, and that the State’s Knesset will
serve as a check and balance to the actions of government
officials.
As we wrote in our letter to Acting Prime Minister Olmert, while
we reject the actions of those protesters who resorted to
violent tactics, we firmly believe that professional law
enforcement units charged with carrying out difficult missions
must remain calm, respond in a measured manner, and act with
sensitivity in the performance of their duties.
We hope Israel’s security forces will take to heart the findings
of the commission and adjust their procedures, policies and
training in dealing with such civil dissent in the future.
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