Lawyer Accuses Israeli Police of Manufacturing Criminals for Statistics

An Israeli criminal defense attorney has accused the police of a cynical and disturbing practice of "manufacturing criminals" from vulnerable Arab youth to bolster their case statistics and secure media attention. Motlaq Badran, who represents defendants in serious criminal cases, argues that instead of intervening when young individuals are coerced by crime organizations, the police deliberately allow them to commit more serious offenses.

According to Badran, police intelligence units are aware in real-time when a young person, often without a prior criminal record, is threatened and forced into minor tasks like transporting packages or hiding weapons. Instead of preventing the crime, the police allegedly wait for the individual to commit a more significant offense that directly implicates crime bosses. This strategy, Badran claims, is aimed at securing evidence for future state witness deals or building high-profile cases against major figures, prioritizing "PR wins" over public safety.

Badran contends that this approach erodes trust in the law among young Arab men who feel unprotected by the authorities. He asserts that when the state fails to intervene and protect them, these individuals may turn to the street's laws for survival. While acknowledging the necessity of undercover agents and informants in fighting crime, Badran stresses the need for strict oversight and transparency to prevent law enforcement from becoming passive accomplices in creating criminals.

The attorney calls for an urgent internal review of police methods and professional ethics, urging them to stop blaming societal issues and instead address their own practices. He believes the police's current strategy sacrifices the future generation for the sake of their own public image and statistical achievements.