Call for general strike after Israeli police kill man

Community leaders of Israel’s Arab minority have declared a 24-hour general commercial strike, starting tomorrow, following the shooting dead by police of a man from the village of Kafr Kana in the north of the country.

Thousands took to the streets today at the entrance to Kafr Kana after Khayr al-Din al-Hamdan was shot dead by police after they came to arrest a relative.

Mr Hamdan died of his wounds at a nearby hospital, police said.

Israeli Arabs, the majority of them Muslim, make up a fifth of Israel’s predominantly Jewish population of 8 million.

Video from a private security camera appearing to show the incident showed Mr Hamdan trying unsuccessfully to break the windows of the police van with an object. When officers got out of the van, Mr Hamdan retreated and footage showed at least one officer shoot him with a pistol.

After he fell to the ground, officers were seen dragging Mr Hamdan into the van and it left the scene.

Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the incident was being scrutinised by the Justice Ministry's police investigations branch.

The mayor of Kafr Kanna village said the killing of 22-year-old Kheir Hamdan was an “execution.”

Mayor Majhad Awadeh charged that Mr Hamdan was killed by police "in cold blood," in remarks broadcast on Israel Radio. "We won't be silent about this crime that was committed by people that are supposed to uphold the law," he said.

About 2,500 residents of Kafr Kanna poured into the streets today to protest the killing, some throwing stones and burning tires, police spokeswoman Luba Samri said in a text message. Three people were arrested.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement saying Israel would not tolerate the kind of violence that broke out in Kafr Kana and rioters would be punished to the full extent of the law.

“Israeli is a country of law and order. We will not tolerate disturbances and riots. We will act against stone throwers and those who block roads and call for the establishment of a Palestinian state in place of Israel,” the statement said.

Mr Netanyahu added that he would instruct the Interior Minister to consider stripping Israeli citizenship from those who call for Israel’s destruction.

Israeli Arab politician Ahmed Tibi said the state's security forces considered the Arab minority as an enemy, adding that such treatment by police could not happen against Jews. Israeli police chief Yohanan Danino denied the police discriminated against any sector in Israeli society.

Mr Hamdan’s relative was eventually detained, police said. The relative was suspected of setting off a stun grenade against a rival clan in the village where tensions between families often run high.

Agencies