Some 1,100 policemen have been called in to reinforce the 900 regular Northern District force.
Rioting by Israeli-Arabs broke out yesterday in Nahal Iron (Wadi Ara), between Hadera and Afula, just as the wounded in the Tel Aviv terror attack were being evacuated to hospitals. The rioting was sparked after police arrived in the area to search for weapons in several homes, and shot one suspect to death. The police reported afterwards that the man had cocked a gun at the detectives who arrived at his home, and they shot him in self-defense.
Word of the shooting spread like wildfire among the Arab residents, who began to congregate along the main highway. They threw rocks at civilian cars and policemen, and the police then closed the road in both directions for a short while, leading to very long traffic jams.
The highway at issue is Route 65, the main route from central Israel to the eastern Galilee area.
Family and community members of the victim are accusing police of murder, stating he was killed without justification.
Public Security Minister Gideon Ezra, Police Commissioner Moshe Karadi and other officials have said they hope today's funeral will be held peacefully, but are prepared in the event that it does not. Looming in the backgroun are the events known as the October Riots, at the beginning of the Oslo War in 2000, in which 13 Arabs were killed. The Arabs rioted for days in Nahal Iron and environs, attacking Jews indiscriminately and closing the main highway intermittently.
Minister Ezra called on the Islamic community not to use today's funeral as an excuse to launch more violence. He said that everything will be done to ensure that Route 65 remains open during the funeral.