Israeli police wage arrests campaign after Zayadna funeral

Israeli police on Monday arrested several young Arab men in the town of Rahat in the Negev for allegedly throwing stones following the funeral of Sami Al-Zayadna.

Zayadna, died of a heart attack after reportedly inhaling tear gas fired by Israeli police during the funeral of Sami al-Jaar on Sunday evening. 20-year-old Jarr was shot dead by Israeli security forces during a protest against a drugs raid.

Angry youths burned tires in the street leading to the police station in Rahat and used stones to block the road. However, eyewitnesses claim they did not throw stones directly at the police, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed newspaper reported.

Israeli police warned in a statement that its forces were ready to quell any potential developments.

Arab Israelis went on a general strike on Tuesday as several protests were organised in the Galilee, Al-Muthallath area, the Negev and coastal cities in protest against the two deaths.

Representatives of the Arab Higher Monitoring Committee and the National Committee for the heads of Arab local authorities held an emergency meeting in Rahat on Monday and decided to go on strike and “after repeated Israeli police aggression against Arab citizens in Rahat,” they announced in a statement.

The statement called for a candlelit rally to be held in the city of Rahat on Tuesday and for protests to be held across Arab towns and villages, as well as the allocation of two hours on Wednesday in Arab schools to present and discuss the Israeli police’s “crimes and violence against Arabs”.

The committee said it will approach international bodies and form a delegation to file a complaint on behalf of Arab citizens regarding Israeli government oppression and aggression against its large Arab minority.

Arab human rights organisations in Israel say Israeli police deliberately commit crimes against Arab citizens and that their actions have become a habit. They also warn that the failure to prosecute those who commit crimes against Arab citizens gives a green light to other police personnel to commit similar actions in the future.