State Commission of Inquiry into the Events of October 2000: A Retrospective: Introduced by Elie Rekhess

Abstract

State Commission of Inquiry into the Events of October 2000:A Retrospective: Introduced by Elie Rekhess Judge (Ret.) Theodor Or For years, there were those who contested the very notion of addressing the issue of Arabs in Israel through the tools of historical research. The host of reasons offered claimed that such practice was "premature," or pointed to the lack of a "sufficient perspective." Indeed, anyone reviewing the books, articles and research papers on the Arab population published thirty or even twenty years ago, is impressed by the paucity of research materials. Today, this trend has reversed: an impressive blossoming in the scope and types of research dealing with various issues relating to the life of the Arab population is evident, based on two main dimensions: • On the substantive level: In contrast to the first two decades of statehood, when such issues were taboo, research is no longer limited to linear analyses of historic development trends or socioeconomic changes of one kind or another: Research now includes explorations of substantive issues underlying the national character of the State of Israel as a Jewish state, and the status of its national Arab minority. • The second dimension relates to academic disciplines. Today, this topic [of the Arabs in Israel] is addressed by historians, as well as by political scientists, social psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists, geographers, jurists, statisticians and demographers. Moreover, the results of these research efforts are not restricted to the academia alone. A large number of non-academic bodies have produced, and continue to produce, dozens of studies and research papers that explore diverse aspects of the social, economic and cultural life of Arabs in Israel. Work is conducted by governmental agencies—especially [End Page 23] the Central Bureau of Statistics, the Office of the State Comptroller, and various professional governmental offices; as well as by civil and human rights organizations such as Adalah (The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel), other NGOs such as Sikkuy (The Association for the Advancement of Civic Equality in Israel), the Abraham Fund Initiatives and Shatil (Empowerment and Training Center), and others. As a zealous collector of every text published in the field, I can truly say that the book shelf devoted to this field is filling up, to the point that it constitutes a library in its own right. This development, however, has turned out to be a mixed blessing. Contradictions and seemingly inexplicable paradoxes are evident. The greater the public and research interest in the Arabs of Israel, the more the State of Israel has retreated, or at least stepped in place, in dealing with the complex issue of its Arab minority. I could quote numerous statistics about the growing socioeconomic gap between Jews and Arabs, the disproportionate representation of the Arab towns and villages in the lowest strata of Israel's socioeconomic ladder, the gap in allocations for education, and other disturbing figures. Why this disparity exists is the topic for a separate article. Nonetheless, we must heed the toll of this neglect, disregard, suppression and denial, especially when socioeconomic unrest in the Arab population has merged in recent years with the clear trend toward growing national awakening. It has become popular to discuss the question of how many Arabs have joined hostile organizations, and indeed, the importance of this question should not be underestimated. Nonetheless, I believe it is no less important to address the widening socioeconomic gaps, the ideological political change, and the emergence of a self-concept of Arabs in Israel who view themselves as a national minority with collective rights. Regrettably, this multi-faceted process is liable to end in tragedy. Together with other factors, this process was the root of the uprising of October 2000. At that time, as I observed that the tide of rage of the Arabs in Israel was rising, I feared that the handwriting was on the wall. Even more regrettably, I have a similar feeling in the present. Nonetheless, changes have occurred in the past four years. I am referring to the establishment of the State Investigative Commission on the October 2000 Events, which became known by the name of its chairman, Justice Theodor Or. The very establishment of this commission...