Arab Community Faces 151 Murders in 2024 Amid Police Struggles to Control Violence

Since the beginning of 2024, 151 people have been murdered in the Arab community in Israel, but only about 10% of these cases have been solved. The police are struggling to maintain order and blame criminals for obstructing investigations and destroying evidence. Jaafar Farah, deputy leader of Hadash and director of the Mossawa Center for Arab Citizens' Rights, criticized the police in an interview with ynet, stating that the law enforcement system is failing and calling for accountability and firmer action.

On Sunday morning, two men were killed within an hour: Muhammad Khalaila, around 50 years old, was shot dead in Deir Hanna near Sakhnin, with ten bullets fired and a burnt motorcycle found at the scene, likely used by the killers. In Umm al-Fahm, Muhammad Kassab, in his 30s, was shot dead, apparently as a revenge killing linked to a relative's involvement in a previous murder. A burnt car suspected to have been used by the perpetrators was found nearby. Police investigations are ongoing but face challenges due to crime scene tampering, including evidence being washed away, which the police condemned as a serious offense.

Farah criticized the police response time and accused them of delaying arrival at Arab communities compared to Jewish areas. He highlighted the disparity in police presence and urged public pressure to improve police performance. He also condemned comments by Police Commissioner Major General Danni Levi, who recently downplayed the severity of violence in the Arab sector and claimed police efforts have been the best in five years, despite rising murder rates.

In response to the ongoing violence and police shortcomings, the Israeli government decided to allocate funds to the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) to combat Arab crime organizations, focusing mainly on weapons smuggling. This funding is expected to come from the previous government's five-year plan budget, with an estimated transfer of up to 650 million shekels. Former Shin Bet official Barak Ben Tzur told ynet that the crime situation is severe and national in scope, but stressed that strengthening the police, not outsourcing to Shin Bet, is the proper solution.

The police responded by emphasizing that fighting crime in the Arab community is a top national priority for the commissioner, who closely monitors and directs efforts. They rejected claims of neglect and accused the media of biased reporting that does not aid crime prevention or the Arab community. The police also called for restoring powers and tools taken from them to better combat organized crime and improve public safety.