In recent years, Israel has seen an alarming rise in gang-related murders committed against Arab citizens. The situation has become even more dire lately as residents from Taibeh, a Bedouin city in Israel, experienced three gang-related murders within a single week this month.
The Arab-Israeli community is becoming increasingly frustrated and alarmed by the violence and is unable to understand how their calls for justice are not being answered. This surge in violence and the lack of measures taken to address it is leaving many feeling unprotected and unprotected by their government.
While this is not a new issue, the recent crimes have put it in the limelight. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas recently condemned these acts of violence in a statement, expressing support for the Arab-Israeli community and demanding that action be taken.
In addition, the crimes have sparked a public outcry and many civil society organizations have released public statements calling for justice and speaking out against these horrific acts. The most notable statement came from The Arab Association for Human Rights that said that the Israeli government must take urgent action to protect its Arab citizens and bring the perpetrators to justice.
While some progress has been made with the police conducting several investigations, the Arab community is still unsatisfied with the slow response. They feel that these measures are simply not enough and that the government must take further steps to make sure that these crimes don’t happen again.
Residents of the Arab-Israeli community are right to be angry and frustrated. These gang related murders take away the safety and security of their lives and it is up to the Israeli government to ensure that they are safe and protected. The Arab-Israeli community should not have to live in fear and it must be remembered that justice must be served in such heinous crimes. If the government does not take the necessary steps, then it risks alienating its Arab citizens and potentially plunging the country into further turmoil.
