Police clashed with Ethiopian-Israeli protesters as they tried to clear demonstrations in several parts of the country that followed the burial of a young Ethiopian-Israeli, who was shot dead on Sunday by an off-duty policeman.

Demonstrators were complaining of marginalisation and victimisation.

The Jerusalem Post reports that the protests had brought the country "to a standstill".

Forty-seven police officers were wounded and 60 demonstrators were detained as police cleared 15 road junctions, police said in a statement quoted by AFP news agency.

"We'll do whatever we can to make sure police will stop killing people because of their skin colour," one protester, told AFP.

"We don't know if this is going to happen again or not," he said of Sunday's killing.

In a video statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his sympathy over the death of the young man, but appealed to demonstrators to stop blocking the junctions.

The officer accused of killing Solomon Tekah, 18, has been detained on suspicion of manslaughter.

A police statement said the officer, who was not on duty, was trying to separate two young people who were having a row. The two men then turned on the policeman, who then opened fire fearing for his own safety, the statement says.

But an eyewitness quoted by Ha'aretz newspaper said that the officer had threatened the youths with his weapon first.