Israeli Government Approves Shin Bet Involvement in Arab Sector Crime Fight with Major Funding Boost

The Israeli government approved a new plan on Wednesday to involve the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) in combating organized crime within the Arab sector. The initiative, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Social Equality Minister May Golan, and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, reallocates approximately 497 million shekels from the five-year plan budget to this unprecedented national effort.

Of the total funds, about 364.5 million shekels will be allocated to the Shin Bet to establish a dedicated unit focused on preventing arms smuggling and trafficking, as well as enhancing intelligence and operational capabilities. Another 132.4 million shekels will be directed to the police to create a national unit targeting crime in the Arab community, including investments in advanced technology and operational equipment. Starting in 2026, the Shin Bet will also receive an additional 130 personnel positions and an annual budget of 35 million shekels.

The plan follows a March 2026 internal document from the Ministry for Social Equality, which called for a significant budget priority shift to strengthen the fight against crime and violence in the Arab sector. However, this reallocation may reduce employment program budgets by about 92 million shekels, including those for youth integration and vocational training, raising concerns among community organizations that prevention efforts are being weakened in favor of enforcement.

Prime Minister Netanyahu described the Shin Bet’s involvement as a "dramatic breakthrough" and a "significant step" in the war against crime organizations, emphasizing the combined use of intelligence, operational, and technological tools to dismantle criminal infrastructures and restore public safety. Minister Golan highlighted her efforts to expose previous unchecked funding flows to criminal groups and praised the new approach of strengthening law enforcement instead. Minister Ben-Gvir called the development "great news for Israeli citizens and bitter news for crime organizations," noting the previous Shin Bet leadership’s resistance to this role.

This move marks a historic shift in Israel’s strategy to tackle crime in the Arab sector, combining enhanced intelligence capabilities with police enforcement to address what officials call a "state epidemic" of violence and organized crime.