The Israel Parliament made amends today to the families of 49 Arab curfew-violators in villages of the “Little Triangle” who were slain by Israel police during the Sinai operation. The Knesset expressed its sympathy to the bereaved families after Premier David Ben Gurion assured it that the commander and others of the guard were being put on trial and would be punished and financial compensation was being paid to the families of the victims.
Mr. Ben Gurion described the episode as a “terrible tragedy” which occurred at a time of intensified fedayeen activity and the start of the Sinai operation made a curfew on number of Arab villages near the border a necessity. A border patrol unit enforcing the curfew, he said, fired on inhabitants in a few villages who came home after the curfew “in all innocence,” he said, killing the number. The affair happened on the night of October 29.
The commander of the unit and several of the men under his command are to stand trail for their crime and will undoubtedly receive their due punishment, Mr. Ben Gurion declared. Compensation ranging from IL 1,000 to IL 5,000 had been paid to each bereaved family. The Premier reminded the house that a commission of inquiry had been set up on November 1 to establish the circumstances of this terrible occurrence,” and the degree of responsibility of the personnel.
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