Arab Women Entrepreneurs Discuss Crime, State Responsibility in Israel's Triangle

A network of Arab women entrepreneurs in Israel's Triangle region convened in Tayibe this week to discuss rising crime and violence within the Arab community. The meeting, organized by the Equality Center in cooperation with Ne'mat - Southern Triangle, aimed to support women and enhance their role in decision-making positions.

Journalist Diaa Haj Yahya, who covers crime and violence, addressed the participants, highlighting the impact of insecurity on citizens' lives and the state's responsibility to provide protection. The discussion focused on the role of women in developing community initiatives and pressuring authorities.

Haj Yahya presented the reality of organized crime in the Arab community, its recent transformations, and its effect on daily life and feelings of safety. He also touched upon the role of crime gangs in spreading fear, the state and police's responsibility for the proliferation of weapons, and the media's influence on public awareness.

Participants expressed deep concern over the lack of security, with some mothers admitting they no longer see leaving the country as an option to protect their children. They stressed that while discussing crime is important, concrete actions are needed at both individual and collective levels, without absolving the state of its duty.

Ideas discussed included protecting children, supporting threatened families, assisting business owners refusing to pay protection money, developing economic alternatives to the black market, and establishing an interest-free social bank. The women also emphasized the need for organized action to pressure police and state institutions to fulfill their protective roles.

The meeting underscored the link between women's presence in decision-making and their involvement in addressing personal and community security issues, transforming anxiety into organized action while maintaining the state's ultimate responsibility for safety.