JERUSALEM, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Arab local councils in Israel held a strike on Monday in protest at the finance minister's freeze earlier this month on hundreds of millions of shekels to their municipalities, a decision that has prompted accusations of racism.
That the finance minister was casting Arabs as thieves and criminals was "ridiculous" and "false", the mayor of the Arab city of Umm al-Fahm, Samir Mahameed, told Israeli Army Radio.
The ultra-nationalist Smotrich's move drew accusations of racism from Arab and Jewish lawmakers, including opposition leader Yair Lapid, as well as Arab mayors.
Israeli Interior Minister Moshe Arbel urged Smotrich to release the funds and voiced support for the municipal strike.
Videos circulating on social media showed police pushing some of the demonstrators, including Arab lawmaker Ayman Odeh.
Persons:
Bezalel Smotrich, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Samir Mahameed, Netanyahu, Smotrich, Yair Lapid, Moshe Arbel, Ayman Odeh, Henriette Chacar, Maayan, Mark Heinrich Our
Organizations:
Finance, Israeli Army Radio, Police, Thomson
Locations:
Israel, Umm