For months, Hadash and the Joint List have demanded the establishment of a committee of inquiry to investigate the deadly conduct by police during the January 18 eviction of residents of Umm al-Hiran in the south of Israel. In the course of the operation, the police killed one Arab-Palestinian citizen of Israel, Yacoub Mousa Abu al-Qee’an, 47, after according to police “he allegedly rammed his car intentionally into a group of police officers,” killing one of them, Sergeant Major Erez Levy, 34.

Residents of Umm al-Hiran at the scene denied the police allegation that Abu al-Qee’an, the driver of the van, which rammed the police, did so intentionally. Rather, they contend that Abu al-Qee’an, a high-school teacher of science and mathematics, lost control of his vehicle after police fired at it.

(…)

In the immediate aftermath of the incident, government ministers, based on erroneous information provided by the police, claimed that al-Qee’an was a supporter of ISIS and drew inspiration from that terrorist organization in his alleged ramming attack of police at the scene. The police and politicians subsequently dropped such allegations, but have made no public apology to his widow and family for defaming the slain teacher.