The Joint Arab List called on Thursday for the immediate dismissal of the Israel's police chief, Yohanan Danino, and for right-wing extremist groups to be declared terrorist organizations, in the wake of the torching of a historic Catholic church in the Galilee.

"It is our right to combat any expression of racism," the party announced, accusing the government of not doing anything to control extremist rightwing organizations.

"It does not give the police orders and doesn't invest any effort, and the result is more radical deeds. The failure of the police, time and again, to find those responsible and bring them to justice encourages the terrorist criminals to amplify their detestable deeds on the one hand, and increases the Arab public's lack of faith in the police and its operations."

The party asserted that the attack is not only against the existence and holiness of the church but also the sanctity of Palestinian lives.

"Netanyahu stands at the head of the incitement system against the Arab public in Israel, and he is guilty of the revenge attacks we witness in the morning news," the party stated. "A so-called price-tag attack is not an act by deviants, but rather an act by calculated, thinking people that are indicative of the existence and repercussions of institutionalized racism and oppression."

The party also called on the international community to take a stance regarding hate crimes against Israeli Arabs and their holy places. "The Jewish public must condemn these crimes," it announced.