The Squeaky Wheel Gets the Grease

Two cases of charges of police brutality in Israel.
In one case the charges are being investigated.
In the other case, the charges are being dropped.

And therein lies the tale.

Last month I wrote a post ("Fear of the Arab Street") about the commission that was charged to investigate the police handling of the riots of Israeli Arabs in October 2000--which included the murder of an Israeli motorist killed by a rock--as opposed to investigating the Arab leaders who actually instigated the violence.

In the end, the commission did not bring charges against the police.

But then Israeli Arabs said they would appeal the decision to the courts, and as a result, the Justice Ministry has announced that it is going to go back and reopen the investigation.

Contrast this with a more recent charge of police brutality--which is being dropped:

The head of the department, Herzl Shviro, informed the Land of Israel Task Force that all complaints against policemen involved in the expulsion from the synagogue in Kfar Darom were being erased.

In a letter dated Sep. 29, Shviro wrote, "After I studied the complaint and the material that has been gathered, I have decided - for reasons of public interest - that the construct of circumstances of the incident does not correspond with a criminal indictment... However, I have decided to transfer the material for a check by the Public Complaints Department of the Police Department."

This in spite of documentation of the charges, as the Arutz7 article lists. But charges are in fact being brought, just not against the police:

On the other hand, the State Prosecution has filed at least 17 indictments against demonstrators on charges of violence against policemen during the Kfar Darom expulsion.

Aviad Visuly, head of the Land of Israel Task Force, is not happy:

"This is a scandal of the highest magnitude," Visuly said. "Citizens are charged with violence against policemen, but when dozens of policemen hit and abuse citizens, against all semblance of law, lie in court, make up evidence and violate dozens of laws - here, Shviro decides that the public isn't interested. Let me emphasize: He didn't close the files for lack of guilt, or for lack of evidence. The Department knows that there is plenty of evidence against them, but closes its eyes on purpose and refuses to accept it." [emphasis added]

The Israeli Arabs are 'interested,' so the charge of police brutality is reopened.
The Israeli public 'isn't interested,' so no charges against the police are made.

So does justice boil down to 'the squeaky wheel gets the grease'?

Technorati Tag: Israel.