TEL AVIV, November 9 (RIA Novosti) — Mass protests of Arabs continued in Israel Sunday over the killing of an Arab man by Israeli police, Israeli media reported.
According to Jerusalem Post citing police, around 20 Israeli Arabs have been detained in Jerusalem.
Rioting took place in Arab communities and universities across the country, with the most violent protests in Kafr Kana, northern Israel. Protesters chanted "The crime – being an Arab, the punishment – death" and "Israel is a terrorist state", threw rocks at the police, burnt tires and waved Palestinian flags.
Earlier on Sunday Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would adopt harsher measures against protesters.
"We will not tolerate disturbances and riots. We will act against rock throwers, road blockers and those calling for the establishment of a Palestinian state in place of Israel. Those who do not respect Israeli law will be punished very seriously," Netanyahu told ministers at cabinet meeting, as quoted by Arutz Sheva, Israeli media network.
Netanyahu also revived the discussions of adopting the bill that would allow revoke Israeli citizenship for calls for the destruction of Israeli state.
Late Saturday the Supreme Follow-Up Committee for the Arab Citizens of Israel announced a general 24-hour strike of the Arab minority in Israel following the killing of an Arab man, Kheir al-Din Hamdan, in Kfar Kana village.
Hamdan, 22, was shot to death when he tried to escape from the Israeli police officers after threatening them with a knife.
Tensions between Arabs and Jews grew after Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans to construct new housing units in East Jerusalem and ordered on Friday to destroy houses of those Arabs who live in Israel and took part in the recent attacks on the Jews.
In the past two weeks there have been three attacks on the Jews in Jerusalem that have been qualified as terror acts.
Arabs make up around 20 percent of the population of Israel (8 million).
