Arab protesters hold massive march in north to demand police rein in violent crime |
Tens of thousands of Arab protesters took to the streets Thursday in the northern city of Sakhnin, as part of a general strike demanding police rein in a relentless violent crime wave besetting the community.
The march was the largest demonstration to take place in recent years over soaring homicide rates in Arab society, with 20 people killed since the start of 2026. The year’s bloody outset comes after 2025 marked the deadliest year on record for Arab citizens.
Protesters holding black flags chanted in Arabic: “[Itamar] Ben Gvir, you miserable man, Arab blood isn’t cheap,” amid mounting anger over the far-right police minister’s handling of the issue.
The demonstrators, mostly parents and their children, came from Arab locales across northern and central Israel, in what was characterized as a desperate bid by everyday Arab citizens to force the issue of crime onto the government’s agenda.
Sakhnin’s residents have been on strike for three days due to near-nightly shootings, most related to protection racketeering, targeting businesses in recent weeks. Storeowners took it upon themselves Tuesday to close their doors to customers, which served as the catalyst for the strike, slated to continue until Saturday.
The streets were silent and empty ahead of the march, with not a single open shop in sight on the city’s main thoroughfare.
After the High Follow-Up Committee, the leading umbrella organization representing Arab Israelis, called a general strike for Thursday, Arab cities and towns nationwide followed the example of Sakhnin’s shop owners and shut down.
Marching at the head of the demonstration was former Balad party chairman Jamal Zahalka, the High Follow-Up Committee’s new head, as well as Sakhnin Mayor Mazen Ghnaim, a former Ra’am MK.
In the south, Bedouin towns also went on strike, with community leaders holding a parallel, albeit smaller demonstration in Rahat. Though politicians partook in both protests, they were devoid of any party banners or slogans, focusing solely on the issue of surging crime.
“The [Arab] public has no hope, they understand that the prime minister and........