across the country over the fatal shooting of a 22-year-old Arab
Israeli who appeared in video footage to be retreating from police, as
the prime minister vowed a tough response to any further unrest.
Thousands of Arabs took to the streets Saturday to protest the
shooting, with many hurling rocks and firebombs at police. The
protests continued Sunday with a general strike called by Arab Israeli
community leaders and demonstrations outside universities and other
institutions. The tensions add to those already raging in Jerusalem,
where Palestinians from the eastern part of the city have been
clashing almost daily with police over access to a disputed holy site.
Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said police have beefed up security
and raised preparedness to its second highest level -- the country's
highest since the conclusion of this summer's 50-day Gaza war. The
weekend protests included some marching with Palestinian flags and
calling for an uprising.
At his weekly Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
warned against further violence.
"Israel is a nation of law. Whoever violates the law will be punished
severely. We will not tolerate disturbances and riots," he said."I
have instructed the Interior Minister to use all means, including
evaluating the possibility of revoking the citizenship of those who
call for the destruction of the State of Israel."
The anger erupted after an early morning incident Saturday in the Arab
village of Kfar Kana in northern Israel. Police said officers opened
fire against a knife-wielding man attempting to stab policemen. Video
footage later emerged, apparently taken from a security camera,
showing a man repeatedly banging on the window of a police vehicle
with an object in his hand. When officers emerged to confront him, he
began to backpedal and was then shot. Police took him to a hospital
where he died.
The police's internal investigations department is looking into the
shooting to determine whether proper protocol was followed.
Arab citizens make up some 20 percent of Israel's population. They
enjoy full citizenship but share the ethnicity and culture of the
Palestinians in the occupied territories, and have long complained of
discrimination. They often identify with Palestinian nationalism,
rather than Israeli.
In a move that looked to further raise tensions, Israel's Cabinet on
Sunday voted in favor of extending Israeli law to West Bank
settlements. The bill, which has yet to pass in parliament, aims to
fill a legal gap and apply full Israeli law on settlers as opposed to
the current system of military decrees. Critics charge that, if
implemented, the move would be construed as a step by Israel toward de
facto annexation of the West Bank.
--AP
No comments:
Post a Comment