Arab Israelis protest after Bedouin death

WADI ARA: Thousands of Arab Israelis protested in northern Israel on Saturday, days after a Bedouin man was killed during clashes with police in the south.
Yacoub Abu Al-Qiyan, 50, died in disputed circumstances Wednesday when police raided the Bedouin village of Umm Al-Hiran in order to demolish several homes.
Police said he had deliberately driven at forces entering the town, killing a policeman.
Residents and activists said he was shot before losing control of the car.
Protesters marched through the northern town of Wadi Ara on Saturday, many carrying Palestinian flags and placards denouncing house demolitions.
Some had signs condemning the government’s “campaign of lies” about Abu Al-Qiyan’s death.
Police used sound bombs to prevent them from blocking a nearby road.
Lawyers for Abu Al-Qiyan’s family said Friday they had filed a petition calling for his body to be returned without preconditions.
They said family members had been asked to agree to receive the body only at night, and to limit attendees at the funeral to 40-50 people.
Police said they would not give the body back until a full autopsy had been completed and would not confirm they had placed conditions on returning the body.
The Adalah NGO, along with an Arab Israeli parliamentarian, filed a petition with Israel’s Supreme Court calling for his body to be released immediately.
Attorney Nadeem Shehadeh from the Adalah NGO said the authorities had demanded that the body be buried in a neighboring village.
Israel routinely places preconditions on returning the bodies of Palestinians it says have carried out attacks, arguing the funerals can turn into glorifying violence.