Arab sector violence: How much spilled blood will Israel allow? - opinion

The trend of violence and crime in Israel's Arab society has only grown within the first 2 months of 2024. Last weekend was particularly bloody, a painful reminder of the rampant levels of violence in Arab society and their culture as a whole.

Recently, five Arab citizens were added to the number of victims, which currently includes 38 men, women, and one child since the beginning of the year. This is a shocking figure that is only continuing to rise. By this time in 2023, a year that broke a historical record in violence and crime, the number of victims was just 30. In other words, if this trend continues, this year will break another bloody record.

Incidents of violence took place last Saturday evening in the Arab cities of Yarka, Maghar, Baka al-Gharbiya, Arad, Tayibe, and Acre, all within a few hours. Some of these cities are only mentioned in the news because the incidents ended with wounded people. Unfortunately, crime is rising and spreading everywhere.

The Israeli government promotes massive budget cut for the fight against violence and crime in Arab society

The dead are piling up - and the budgets are being cut. It is understandable that security needs during wartime require major cuts in the state budget, but it is not possible that the coalition funds won't be cut with them. This issue will cost human lives. Instead of declaring a state of emergency and treating the root cause of the problem, the government proves that it either does not want to or cannot deal with it. The government must give Arab citizens the most basic level of security and should not cut budgets for it.

Neglecting the personal security of 21% of the population in Israel is gnawing at Israeli society from the inside. Every violent incident has secondary victims – people who were uninvolved or were in the wrong place at the wrong time. The previous government proved that with hard work, it's possible to reduce the levels of violence and crime. However, since the inauguration of this government, the increase in the number of victims has been unprecedented, and the budget for the fight against violence has been cut. This comes under the direction of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Ben-Gvir is the man least suited for this job. In order to understand the magnitude of this, it is worth looking back at the sharp increase in the number of victims of violence and crime in Arab society. The year 2020, for example, ended with 96 victims, in 2021 with 123 victims, and in 2022, a moderate slowing of the trend was recorded with 116 victims. The year 2023, when Ben-Gvir's term began, broke a historical record in the levels of violence in Arab society and ended with 244 victims, more than twice the previous years.

Ben-Gvir needs to be replaced. The minister has failed completely in maintaining security and safeguarding the personal security of the country's citizens. Ben-Gvir succeeds only in invoking disputes between Jews and Arabs.

This challenge is bigger than Ben-Gvir in several dimensions and it costs human lives. How much more blood must be spilled before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shows him the door? It is not at all clear whether the government is interested in addressing the serious phenomenon of violence and crime in Arab society.

Further, the Israeli government's actions disregard the reality that Arab citizens of Israel live in constant risk. It is time for action. The trend for 2024 can still – and must – be reversed.