Solicitors in Haifa

08 July 2002 --

The Or Commission of Inquiry, in Jerusalem, into the deaths of thirteen civilians, shot by Israeli police, will tomorrow be facilitating a legal delegation from Madden and Finucane, who represent the majority of the victims of Bloody Sunday, by providing English translation during the proceedings.

Adalah, who represent the families of the thirteen Palestinian citizens of Israel killed during protests which followed Ariel Sharon’s visit to Al Asqua in September 2000, have organized the visit. The delegation includes Sarah McSherry and Seán Rooney, who have worked on the Saville Inquiry for a number of years.

They will observe the conditions of the Commission with the aim of providing advice and assistance on legal procedures. Adalah, representing the families of the deceased have been denied legal standing to question witnesses involved in the killings.

Fourteen people have been officially warned that they may be adversely affected by the proceedings of the Commission. These include the then Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Shlomo Ben Ami, who was the Internal Security Minister at the time, three Arab political leaders and a number of police commanders and individual officers. Ariel Sharon is not amongst those to have received a warning.