Taking to the Streets

February 4, 2026

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Demonstrating against the government's indifference to crime in Arab society. Photo: Oded Feller, ACRI

This past weekend in Tel Aviv and around the country Arabs and Jews demonstrated in massive numbers against the unchecked crime wave raging in Arab society. This was a moving show of bravery on the part of Arab society, which has faced escalating attempts at marginalization and silencing since the outbreak of the war, and solidarity from Jewish society. It was a burst of frustration, pain, and anger against a government that has allowed crime to run rampant in Arab society.

First, some numbers to illustrate how dire the situation has become. You can find more details in the infographics below, but here are a few highlights: 

• Arabs make up 21% of Israel’s population, but were 74% of the homicide victims between 2023-2024 

• Over 700 Arab citizens and residents were killed between 2023 and 2025. That is a rate of nearly one person per day over the course of two years 

• At least 31 children were killed between 2022 and 2024. 20 women were killed in 2024 

• About 30% of murders when Arabs are the victim are solved, compared to 70% of murders with a Jewish victim. Murders of Arab citizens and residents are far less likely to result in indictments 

Rather than actually attempting to address the issue, the government is increasingly using it as an excuse to further discriminate against the country’s Arab citizens and residents. The recent spate of illegal police blockages of Arab towns, villages, and neighborhoods, ostensibly in order to “fight crime,” is the most recent attempt to collectively punish and literally marginalize Arab society, rather than taking any steps to address the problem. This should come as no surprise, considering that the racist and extremist Itamar Ben Gvir serves as the Minister of National Security. He has made no secret of his indifference—at best—towards Arab society, and his politicization of law enforcement means that the police serve his interests, rather than those of the public (it is no mystery why nearly half of Arab society has no trust in the police at all).

Make no mistake: the neglect of Arab society is a conscious choice. Before the current government took office in January 2022, a plan had been formed to combat the rise in crime in Arab society, and billions of shekels in budgets had been allocated. As soon as Ben Gvir was appointed as Minister of National Security, however, he abandoned all of the plans. More recently, the Minister for Social Equality proposed diverting the nearly 3 billion shekels that had been allocated to advance Arab society to the Minister of National Security. These budgets are intended to finance a variety of much-needed programs, including training social workers, constructing classrooms and kindergartens, infrastructure, health services, cultural programs, and programming and employment for youth. This strategic plan and the accompanying budgets are meant to complement the plan to fight crime in Arab society, since one of the issues contributing to the crime wave is the deep socioeconomic divide between Jewish and Arab society.

We at ACRI have been busy on the legal and public policy fronts to stop the neglect that has left Arab society living in fear for their lives and the lives of their children. We have sent appeals and petitions to compel the government to fulfill its commitments to the country’s Arab citizens and residents to keep them safe and to provide them with essential services and resources so that they can live their lives in peace. We are also contributing to the efforts to raise awareness among the wider public about the extent of the problem, and the government policies that have contributed to it. And we take to the streets to stand together and demand better.

These days, all around the world, we are fighting for a world that recognizes and values the humanity and rights of each and every person. Stand together with us. Donate Now.