A man in his 30s was shot dead near Iksal, south of Nazareth, on Tuesday morning, Magen David Adom said, as the Arab sector launched a general strike across the country in response to the rising murder rate.
A man in his 60s was seriously injured in the shooting as well, and another person was lightly injured.Israel Police are investigating.
167 Arabs killed since beginning of year
Some 167 Arab individuals have been killed since the beginning of 2023, according to the Abraham Initiatives organization. In the same period last year, 75 Arabs were killed.
The High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens of Israel announced the strike on Sunday, after three people were killed within 24 hours in the city of Kafr Kara. During the strike, students will have classes for the first two hours of the school day and will then go out to protest in a number of locations.
The committee published a poster for the strike featuring a bloody hand and the statements “Israel is the patron of the blood gangs” and “Life and security are our rights, we are the owners of the country.”
The committee urged Arab citizens to adhere to the strike in a statement on Monday, “in light of the continuing rampant cycle of crime and violence in Arab society and the exposed official government collusion to make our society drown in a state of terror and blood.”
“Our strike must reflect the collective national position against the ongoing crime and the government’s support for it, in order to stop what is happening and ensure a safe life and a better future for our children and the following generations.”
A protest against home demolitions in Bedouin villages in the Negev will also be held on Tuesday afternoon near Arara.