Israeli Government Allocates $140 Million for Shin Bet to Combat Crime in Arab Sector

Following a prolonged campaign led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Social Equality Minister May Golan, the Israeli government announced that the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) will receive a dedicated budget of 500 million shekels (approximately $140 million) to fight crime in the Arab sector. This funding will come from the reallocation of resources within the existing government plan 550, originally initiated by the previous administration and overseen by Minister Golan. The total combined budget for the Shin Bet and police will reach 567 million shekels. The government is expected to approve this decision in the upcoming cabinet meeting on Sunday.

Minister Ben-Gvir hailed the move as a significant victory for Israeli citizens and a setback for criminal organizations, criticizing the former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar for resisting the agency's involvement in Arab sector crime. He praised the new Shin Bet head, David Zini, for embracing this mission. Minister Golan emphasized her efforts to expose the previous "Takadom" plan under the Bennett-Abbas government, which she claimed funneled billions of shekels without oversight, benefiting criminal groups. She expressed satisfaction in redirecting funds towards a "real fight" against crime and terror in the Arab sector, aiming to restore security for Israeli citizens through coordinated efforts of the Shin Bet and police under Zini's leadership.