Police Bust Ring Exploiting Children for Panhandling in Northern Israel

Northern District police have arrested dozens of women and children, some as young as four years old, involved in a panhandling operation at intersections near Nazareth. The operation, which targeted the dangerous phenomenon of using children to solicit donations, saw officers raid makeshift shelters in forests near the city. Investigators revealed that the women, many of whom are from the Jenin and Nablus areas, would stand at busy intersections with infants to elicit sympathy from drivers, potentially earning up to 3,000 shekels a day.

According to Tal Krispin, an officer with the Nazareth Police, the children, some under the age of criminal responsibility, were brought specifically to attract attention and were handed over to Palestinian Authority representatives after coordination with the IDF. Adults involved in the operation were questioned, and some arrests were extended by the Nazareth Magistrate's Court. Police estimate that the panhandlers are brought into Israel by 'contractors' who then deploy them at various intersections.

This practice has become a persistent problem in northern Israel, with young mothers and children approaching cars at traffic lights and intersections. The children are reportedly required to hand over their collected money at the end of each day to these contractors, who are described as both Israeli and Palestinian. The children often sleep in nearby groves or in designated areas.

Shlomit Shichor Reichman, head of the Jezreel Valley Regional Council, praised the police operation, stating it was a crucial step in restoring governance to the area. She emphasized the severe exploitation of children and the potential security risks posed by the presence of illegal residents at key intersections, urging the police to continue their efforts against the contractors and organizers behind this operation.