Israeli Government Allocates Half a Billion Shekels to Shin Bet to Combat Crime in Arab Society

The Israeli government is set to approve a dedicated budget of 500 million shekels for the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) to intensify its fight against crime within the Arab community. This decision, led by Minister May Golan, reallocates funds from a previous government plan (Government Resolution 550) and, combined with additional budgets, brings the total funding for the Shin Bet and police to 567 million shekels. The approval is expected in the upcoming cabinet meeting on Sunday.

The move follows a prolonged campaign by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Minister for Social Equality and Advancement of Women May Golan. Golan emphasized that this initiative corrects past mismanagement under the Bennett-Abbas government’s "Takadom" program, which she claims funneled billions of shekels without oversight, indirectly benefiting criminal organizations. She expressed satisfaction in collaborating with Prime Minister Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir to redirect resources towards a stringent fight against violent crime and terror organizations in the Arab sector.

The budget shift involves reallocating funds from several ministries under the authority of May Golan’s office. The plan aims to enhance cooperation between the Shin Bet, led by David Zini, and the Israeli police to restore security for Israeli citizens. The decision was first revealed by Channel 14 news and has since been formalized by Government Secretary Yossi Fox. Some Likud ministers reportedly oppose the fund reallocation, attempting to block the initiative.