October 2000 Events Still Resonate for Palestinian Citizens of Israel

Twenty-six years after the events of October 2000, when Israeli police killed 13 young Palestinians during protests, many Palestinian citizens of Israel still feel a lack of justice and question their status within the state. The protests, which began in late September 2000 following Ariel Sharon's visit to the Al-Aqsa compound, spread to Palestinian towns on October 1st. The police response, which resulted in the deaths of 12 citizens and one Gazan, marked a turning point in the relationship between Palestinian citizens and the Israeli state.

The article argues that the state has historically viewed the existence of its Palestinian citizens as a problem, citing the military rule they lived under until 1966 and ongoing land confiscations and restrictions on political organization. Despite granting citizenship, the state often treated them as a danger. While educational and employment opportunities expanded in the 1980s and 90s, and the Arab middle class grew, this progress was seen as a hard-won right, not a trade for abandoning Palestinian identity.

The October 2000 events demonstrated that economic integration and education in Hebrew did not diminish the connection to the Palestinian cause. The author contends that the police response quickly shifted from integration rhetoric to treating citizens as enemies. The Or Commission, established to investigate the events, released a report in 2003 detailing discrimination and neglect, recommending equality and respect for Arab citizens' identity. However, no indictments were filed for the killings, leaving families without legal recourse and undermining trust in the police.

The article further discusses the escalating crime crisis within the Arab community, noting a significant rise in victims of violence and crime in recent years. It highlights a stark disparity in the rate of indictments for murder between the Arab and Jewish communities, suggesting a state failure to protect its Arab citizens. This perceived neglect, coupled with the rise of right-wing politics that frames Arab citizens as a threat, leads many to believe the state has allowed crime to fester.

The author draws parallels between the treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank and the experiences of Palestinian citizens in Israel, noting the increasing use of 'expulsionist' language and the establishment of outposts near Arab towns. The article concludes by reiterating the demand for the state to recognize, respect, and protect its Palestinian citizens, emphasizing that their presence is a right, not a temporary stay, and that they deserve to live without fear and plan for the future.