Palestinian lives don't count here

Palestinians in Israel call for general strike after police kill two people in Negev.

- Hundreds of Palestinians in Israel protested on Monday as thousands participated in the funeral procession of a Bedouin man with Israeli citizenship who died during a confrontation with police on Sunday night. Protests were held by activists in Haifa, Jaffa, Nazareth, Beersheba, and Rahat, as well as by students at Tel Aviv University, Ben Gurion University, Haifa University and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Around 100 protesters gathered in Haifa's Emile Habibi Square and marched through the city bearing placards and Palestinian flags and chanting slogans against police brutality. "Oh police, Arab blood is not cheap," dozens sang out in unison. Others yelled: "Resist, resist. Don't compromise on your rights!"

Sami al-Zayadna, a 43-year-old Bedouin man from Rahat, died from excessive tear gas inhalation when mourners were corned by police in a cemetery during a funeral which turned into a protest. Dozens were also injured, including at least three critical injures, according to local media reports.

An estimated 1.7 million Palestinians carry Israeli citizenship and live in cities, towns and villages across the country. A diverse community of Muslims, Christians and Druze, they face dozens of discriminatory laws that stifle their political expression and limit their access to state resources, such as land and education, according to rights groups.

Clashes also erupted between police and mourners during the funeral of 22-year-old Sami al-Jaar, who was fatally shot while standing on his patio, as police clashed with local youth across the street from his home on Wednesday night.