The Druze community is striking Thursday against their official institutions, spiritual leader Sheikh Muffed Tarif announced today, after a leading candidate for council head was murdered on Tuesday.
The announcement came from a forum of the head of the Druze authorities and members of the Knesset.
The strike is in response to the continued murders in the Arab sector, particularly the four murders in Abu Snan on Tuesday, a northern village that is around 30% Druze. All of those killed were members of the Druze community.
A statement, which accompanied the strike announcement, said: “The Druze community places the responsibility for the lack of security in the north on the police and the government.”
They said the strike is “as an act of protest against the failures of the police and the government in enforcing the law and personal security.”
One of the killed, Razi Saab, was the favorite for council head. He was killed alongside two of his family members.
Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai said that killings did not appear to be related to the election, and were "the product of a conflict between criminal organizations.”
Saab served in the IDF as a commander.
The killings constitute a massacre and should be treated as such
Sheik Tarif added that the killings are “a massacre and an act of terrorism that crossed all the red and black lines.
”Just as the cabinet convenes following acts of terrorism and orders response measures, so should be done tonight.”
The Abu Snan killings follow the murder of the head of the Tira municipality on Monday.
Arab murders stand at 158 so far this year.
The violence was condemned across the political spectrum, with Arab residents on edge. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to personally intervene.