KUFR QASSEM, June 7, 2017 (WAFA) – Palestinian cities and towns in Israel observed since Wednesday morning a general strike in protest of the Israeli police’s killing of a Palestinian in the town of Kufr Qassem on Tuesday dawn.

The strike, which came in compliance with the decision of the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee, included all aspects of life, including educational facilities and schools, municipalities and local councils, and public and private commercial institutions.

Palestinians are also expected to organize rallies at the entrances to the Arab towns and villages at 5:00 pm (Jerusalem time).

The Higher Arab Monitoring Committee has also called for a central rally on Saturday in protest of what it called as the Israeli police brutality against the Palestinian people.

On Tuesday dawn, a 21-year-old Palestinian was killed and another injured during violent protests that erupted in the town of Kufr Qassem inside Israel.

Police claimed a civilian security guard feared for his life and opened fire killing Muhammad Taha, 21, and injuring another.

Following the incident, residents attacked and torched the police station and three police cars.

Police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters.

The Higher Arab Monitoring Committee held the Israeli government responsible for the outbreak of violence and announced after an emergency meeting in Kufr Qassem a general strike in all Arab towns in Israel on Wednesday.

It said rise in organized crime and murder cases in Arab towns, which reports said reached 31 since the start of the year, was due to the Israeli government negligence of Arab towns and police failure to arrest criminals and murderers.

The committee condemned the "aggression of the police against the people of Kufr Qassem and the Arab people in general, which once again confirms that members and leaders of the Israeli police treat the Arab citizens as enemies, especially when police easily use live ammunition to kill Arab citizens."

M.N