Al-Osaibi was killed Saturday in Jerusalem by Israeli police after intervening on behalf of a Palestinian woman who was assaulted by the police, according to witnesses.

The Higher Follow-up Committee for Arab Citizens, the top body representing Arab citizens of Israel, urged all Arab local authorities, the public education system, shops and facilities to participate in the strike.

The strike is a demonstration of solidarity with Dr. Al-Osaibi and a protest against the Israeli occupation army's actions at Al-Aqsa Mosque, according to the committee.

In addition to the strike, they also called for vigils to be held in Palestinian towns in Israel, starting Saturday evening and continuing through Sunday.

The committee has also decided to turn Dr. Al-Osaibi's funeral, which will be held in his hometown of Houra, into a mass demonstration against "all policies of occupation, oppression and racial discrimination."

This killing has sparked a wave of anger and calls for justice among the Palestinian community, and the strike and demonstrations are a clear expression of their demands for change, the committee said.

Arabs in today's Israel are the Palestinians and their descendants who stayed on their land following the creation of Israel in 1948. They make up about 20 percent of the country's nine million people.

By law, they have rights equal to those of Jewish citizens, but in practice they are subject to discrimination in almost all walks of life, including employment, housing and policing.