A general strike was observed today across the Arab towns and cities in Israel in protest against the rampant crimes that resulted from the Israeli police’s inaction to sue perpetrators and hold them to account. The High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens of Israel called for a general strike and to hold rallies and vigils on Friday and Saturday in the aftermath of the two murders that took place yesterday in Jaffa and Kafr Qasim, which claimed the lives of five people and a 15-year-old teenager. The follow-up committee warned against the exploitation of crime for the benefit of authoritarian political goals, such as introducing the Israeli Shin Bet; Israeli General Security Service (Shabak) into our society’s affairs under the guise of dealing with crime. Palestinian towns inside Israel are witnessing a dangerous escalation in violence and murders at a time when the Israeli police are failing to do their part to curb this phenomenon. With the rise in violence and unchecked crime in Arab towns inside Israel, 92 people, including six women and two children, have been killed since the beginning of this year.

Source: En – Palestine news & Information Agency – WAFA