Ra'am Leader Mansour Abbas Opposes Budget Shift to Shin Bet for Arab Community Crime Fight

Mansour Abbas, chairman of the Ra'am party and member of the Knesset, has criticized the Israeli government's decision to reallocate 500 million shekels from the Arab sector's economic disparity reduction program to the Shin Bet and police for combating violence and crime. Speaking in Arabic at the Knesset, Abbas argued that the funds were originally intended for essential projects within the Arab community and that diverting them to security agencies does not directly address crime or criminal organizations. He emphasized that under Israeli law, the Shin Bet is not authorized to fight crime, and accused Prime Minister Netanyahu's government of failing to take effective measures against the rising violence, which has resulted in 900 deaths in the Arab sector since the government's formation in early 2023.

Abbas stated that the budget cut would exacerbate existing social and economic gaps in the Arab community. He also highlighted that Ra'am has a comprehensive plan to combat violence and crime, which it intends to implement once a new government coalition including Ra'am is established. Abbas's remarks underline ongoing tensions regarding the best approach to addressing crime and violence in Arab society within Israel, and the role of security agencies versus community-based initiatives.