Israeli Arab Voters Urged to Vote in Memory of Murder Victim

Over one million Arab citizens of Israel received automated phone calls on Tuesday, October 27, urging them to vote in the Knesset elections in memory of a murdered young woman. The Jerusalem Post reported that Susan Sultan, in a recorded message, spoke of her sister's death and implored voters to go to the polls. "My sister was murdered, and she cannot vote in the elections. These are fateful elections. I ask you to go out and vote in memory of my sister Susan," Sultan said. Her sister, Susan Sultan, was killed in April 2025. In August 2026, Susan's husband, Ziyad, was also murdered.

This personal tragedy highlights a broader issue: violence and organized crime remain critical problems within Israel's Arab society. In 2025, 252 people died as a result of violent crime, the highest figure on record. According to the "Abraham Initiatives" organization, police solved only about 10% of murders in the Arab sector that year, with the clearance rate rising to 12% in the first half of 2026. Major criminal organizations and clans, including Jarushi, Hariri, and Abu Latif, operate in Arab cities, involved in extortion, racketeering, drug and arms trafficking, and illegal moneylending. Conflicts between these groups lead to shootings and killings, often triggering cycles of blood feuds. The low crime-solving rate exacerbates residents' sense of vulnerability.

Representatives from Arab communities and human rights organizations criticize law enforcement for inefficiency and insufficient resources. Susan Sultan's call for votes is framed against this backdrop. The phone appeal uses her family's personal loss to motivate citizens to participate in the elections and draw attention to the violence issue. Organizers hope that voting will lead to political change and increased pressure on authorities to protect residents of Arab towns. The "Standing Together" organization, which advocates for Jewish-Arab cooperation, also urged citizens to vote, stating that violence and crime have become an unacceptable daily reality. "The situation with violence in our society has reached an unprecedented level. Crime has become the norm, and we can no longer remain silent in the face of what is happening," the organization said in a statement. The NGO emphasized that voting is an opportunity to achieve change and that Arab-Jewish cooperation can be a path to resolving the problem. "Today we take responsibility and head to the polling stations to put an end to this distorted reality. Partnership between Jews and Arabs is the way to change and fix the situation," representatives of "Standing Together" declared.