Ben-Gvir under fire after quadruple murder in Israeli Arab sector

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir faced major backlash Wednesday following the shocking quadruple murders in Abu Snaan.

“He has failed miserably and become the court jester of the government. If he was in charge, he would have asked to change positions... All he is interested in is the gimmicks of elections and media,” said National Unity MK Ze’ev Elkin.

Hadash Ta’al MK Aida Touma-Sliman said that “the government is not addressing the issue... Ben-Gvir wants to control a beaten and frightened Arab population... We demand that there be  someone responsible for this issue.”

Ra’am chairman Mansour Abbas called for the Arab communities to establish trained armed patrols, saying “I am initiating the establishment of civil guard groups and security classes, like in Jewish settlements. Let the police train them and monitor them.

“We will do everything necessary to protect the lives of civilians, under supervision and in accordance with the law.”

Ben-Gvir called the criminals responsible for the murders “terrorists” and said they were stealing money from the Arab Israeli citizens.

“These are terrorist organizations for all intents and purposes, which are currently directing the assassinations inward towards the Arab sector and the rival gangs,” he said.

“According to the warnings I receive – in a situation of broad conflict, these militias will turn their fire against the State of Israel.

“These organizations kill each other in order to take over state budgets, and most of the money does not go to the welfare of the Arab citizens of Israel, but to the criminal organizations in Arab society,” Ben-Gvir remarked. “Turning a blind eye now and postponing the decision means putting the State of Israel at risk.”

He also called for the police to be given “additional tools and additional powers.”

In a proposal released on Wednesday, he outlined his plan for “strengthening public peace and security.” He called on the government to involve the Shin Bet, which was later confirmed, in efforts to combat crime in the Arab sector, particularly against criminal organizations. He called to establish “a dedicated unit” within the security agency to tackle the issue.

Ra’am chairman Mansour Abbas called for in an interview for the Arab communities to establish trained armed patrol, saying “I am initiating the establishment of civil guard groups and security classes, like in Jewish settlements. Let the police train them and monitor them.

"We will do everything necessary to protect the lives of civilians, under supervision and in accordance with the law.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also joined Wednesday’s special subcommittee to address fighting Arab crime, where leaks from the meeting said he chastised the head of the Arab Authorities Committee, Moder Younes, after the latter refused to admit that criminal organizations were the reason for the crime. In the end, it was clear though that the focus must be on them.

Ben-Gvir was backed by Likud MK Hanoch Milwidsky, who told Ynet that “this is a cynical exploitation of the situation, the identity of the minister is not the issue here. The crisis in Arab society vis-à-vis the police is a lack of cooperation for many years.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu took the handling of the issue into his own hands, and I am sure we will see results.”

Redoubled calls to freeze money headed for the Arab sector

National Missions Minister Orit Struck (Religious Zionist Party) also gave comment, bringing up Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s efforts to freeze funds to the Arab sector, saying “We see before our eyes how right the finance minister is in his demand that the State of Israel neither feed nor support the criminal organizations with money.

National Missions Minister Orit Struck (Religious Zionist Party) also commented, bringing up Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s efforts to freeze funds to the Arab sector: “We see before our eyes how right the finance minister is in his demand that the State of Israel neither feed nor support the criminal organizations with money.

“The Arab local authorities reluctantly became the money providers of those criminal organizations through threats and acts of murder,” she added. “This thing has to stop. The Arab citizens will receive the funds and the services. They, and not the criminal organizations that terrorize the heads of local government in the Arab sector.”

Opposition leader Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) released a video on Wednesday blasting the government, saying the “right-wing government experiment failed.”

“The people who danced on the blood and promised to change the equation changed it – for the worse. More terrorism, more murders, less personal security for the citizens of Israel,” he said.

“Whoever appointed Ben-Gvir and Smotrich cannot escape responsibility. On Netanyahu’s watch, the state is falling apart. People are murdered every day. We are in an emergency, we cannot continue like this,” Lapid added.

National Unity head Benny Gantz called for Ben-Gvir’s dismissal on Twitter, writing “The minister who is supposed to take care of personal security - lacks management skills and lacks the desire to help the Arab society. Instead of ensuring that there will be policemen and instead of injecting existing security forces to help restore the sense of security - he wants to establish a private militia and sow chaos.

“Prime Minister, the responsibility is on you. No political price will equal the blood price we pay as a society. You must fire Ben-Gvir and appoint in his place a minister who can and wants to handle the crisis. Every minute that passes is a ticking time bomb.”

National Unity head Benny Gantz called for Ben-Gvir’s dismissal on Twitter, writing “The minister who is supposed to take care of personal security – lacks management skills and lacks the desire to help the Arab society. Instead of ensuring that there will be policemen and instead of injecting existing security forces to help restore the sense of security – he wants to establish a private militia and sow chaos.

“Prime Minister, the responsibility is on you. No political price will equal the blood price we pay as a society. You must fire Ben-Gvir and appoint in his place a minister who can and wants to handle the crisis. Every minute that passes is a ticking time bomb.”

President Isaac Herzog added on Twitter that “every citizen of the Arab society in Israel today lives in terrible fear, heavy grief, and terrible anxiety. Each of the murdered is a world to his family and loved ones. This is an emergency that requires decisive measures by the state to eradicate crime and violence, and prevent the loss of life. My condolences to the grieving families from the last few days – from Tira to Abu Snan.”

Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.