Panel Clears Shaked on Meeting With Duma Defendant’s Family

A Knesset panel rejected a Meretz complaint against Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked for meeting with the family of one of those charged in the murder of three Palestinians in the village of Duma.

An ethics panel ruled on Sunday that “there was no improper behavior by Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked,” striking down a motion by Meretz No. 2 MK Tamar Zandberg, The Jerusalem Post reported.

The leftist lawmaker contended that Shaked’s visit signaled encouragement to far-right wing activists in Yehudah and Shomron to pursue violence against Palestinians.

Zandberg’s complaint came after the disciplinary measures against members of the Arab Balad party following their controversial meeting with the families of Palestinian terrorists.

The panel said that Shaked’s case was different, since it “was a meeting that was held within the bounds of a minister’s job description, [could not be seen] as an ethical violation.”

The indictments ended a four-month investigation that brought complaints from the Palestinians about the delay in solving the murder and criticism from Jews in Yehudah and Shomron for alleged torture during interrogation of the defendants.