Dehamshe

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Ha'aretz: (Israeli) MK Dehamshe denies he incited against police, AG presses on with probe against MK Barakeh for calling on Israeli Arabs to participate in intafada

Ha'aretz Correspondents By Ori Nir, Baruch Kra and Gideon Alon Ha'aretz 6 November 2000

While police questioned MK Abdulmalik Dehamshe (United Arab List) for several hours yesterday about an alleged incident of incitement, Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein insisted that an investigation on similar allegations should be opened against another Arab MK, Mohammed Barakeh (Hadash).

Dehamshe was questioned by police in Jerusalem on suspicion of a number of offenses - verbal incitement toward acts of violence, defamation of a public official, and obstruction of policemen. Dehamshe denied all allegations; police officials contend that the MK "lied shamelessly" throughout the questioning.

A month ago, when Police Northern District Commander Alik Ron announced plans to launch an investigation of an Arab MK on suspicion of incitement, Dehamshe quickly announced in the media that Ron's allusion was to himself. Subsequently it was established that Ron was in fact thinking of MK Barakeh, but this clarification did little to stem Dehamshe's anger concerning police actions. "We will hit or forcibly attack any policeman, and break his arms if he comes to demolish an Arab house," Dehamshe said in the incident under investigation. "We're on the brink of an Israeli Arab Intifada due to Alik Ron's incitement," he added.

Dehamshe's criticism of house demolition procedures derived from the destruction of two homes in a non-recognized Bedouin community close to the Nahaf village, in the Galilee. While demolishing these two houses, police forcibly held back residents who tried to prevent the policy from being enacted. Dehamshe made the controversial remark about "breaking the arms of policeman" in the context of an argument about the right of any person to defend himself and his home.

Dehamshe reiterated this argument while speaking to reporters yesterday: "We have a basic right to defend ourselves; our rights extend to homes not being destroyed, and our arms and legs not being broken by the police. That right includes self-defense, and breaking the arm of anyone who comes to break our arms, and to destroy our homes."

About thirty Islamic Movement members staged a demonstration in support of Dehamshe while the MK was being questioned at the Jerusalem police station. Before entering the station, Dehamshe declared that the police represent "an instrument of fascist policy," and of a policy which "oppresses" Arabs in Israel. The police, he added, are responsible for Israeli Arab casualties in recent weeks.

Meantime, Rubinstein rejected complaints voiced by politicians from Israeli Arab parties concerning his decision to recommend that the state prosecutor assess whether there is cause to indict MK Barakeh on incitement charges. The attorney general said that "we aren't persecuting Knesset members, or anybody else. Using means at our disposal, we are endeavoring to do our duty in the struggle against forms of verbal violence that are liable to lead to physical violence."

The attorney general adamantly denied that he enforces two sets of standards, one for Jews and one for Arabs. Together with State Prosecutor Edna Arbel, Rubinstein said, he has "ordered equal enforcement concerning Arab and Jewish violators, both with respect to arrest policy, and indictment."

Right-wing Knesset members vehemently denounced Barakeh's statements calling on Israeli Arabs to take part in the Al Aqsa Intifada. MK Michael Kleiner (Herut-National Movement) said that "Palestinians of Israel have raised their heads." The Arab population in the country, he explained, should be "returned to its natural place" as a minority which is entitled to enjoy rights so long as it is loyal to the state, but which cannot be eligible for these rights if it isn't loyal to Israel.

MK Zevulun Orlev (National Religious Party) issued a complaint against Barakeh to the Knesset's Ethics Committee.

On Barakeh's behalf, MK Tamar Gozansky stated that her Hadash party colleague is the target of a delegitimization campaign of monstrous proportions waged by certain MKs, the police, the attorney-general and some media figures.

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