The Israel Parliament last night voted to inquire into the circumstances of the recent demonstration of unemployed Arabs in Nazareth and the causes of the incident, following charges of police brutality by a Communist deputy and charges of Communist sedition by a Mapal leader.
The issue arose in the Knesset when Tewfik Toubi, an Arab Communist, accused “Ben Gurion’s Government” of shooting unemployed workers demanding bread and work. Two Arabs were wounded when police opened fire during the Communist-led demonstration eight days ago. Toubi declared that “only in fascist states or states leading for fascism do police fire on workers.” He demanded a Parliamentary investigation of the behavior of the police and “punishment of the guilty policemen.”
Toubi was followed by Minister for Police Behor Shitreet who gave his version of the clash. He said that 60 demonstrators attacked four policemen, forcing the latter to fire into the air twice. The bullets ricocheted on a nearby wall and struck two persons not involved in the affair, the Minister said. During his recital the Communist deputies interrupted with frequent and loud objections.
Pinhas Lubianiker, secretary-general of the Histadrut and a leader of the Mapai Party, asked that the inquiry committee also investigate the activities of the Communists whom he accused of inciting the workers and “besmirching Israel’s name before the world.” The Communists and Mapam deputies opposed Lubianiker’s request, but the Knesset voted the joint inquiry.
For the first time in the history of the Israel Government, the Mapal Party found itself ina minority position when the Parliament voted for an inquiry into the education situation in the immigrant camps. The deputies of the Orthodox parties, who are at odds with the Mapal over religious education in the camps, sided with the opposition. The Mapam, with whom the Religious Bloc voted, accused the Orthodox forces of “shamaless instigation” of clashes in the camps.
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