Hundreds demonstrated Sunday morning outside the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem, decrying police’s failure to curb violent crime in the Arab community under National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

Waving black flags, protesters chanted in Arabic: “Hey police, hey police, Arab blood isn’t cheap” and called for Ben Gvir’s sacking, accusing the far-right minister of turning a blind eye to the explosion of homicides in Arab society.

One protester sitting on his friend’s shoulders held up a large photo of Ben Gvir’s face overlaid by bright red Hebrew text: “The Bedouins are against murder, you failed.”

“It is impossible to defeat crime so long as Ben Gvir is in charge,” declared Jamal Zahalka, the newly elected head of the High Follow-Up Committee, the leading umbrella organization for Israel’s Arab minority.

Israel closed out last year with a record number of 252 Arab citizens killed in violent crime-related incidents, marking the deadliest year to date for Arab society.

Now, less than two weeks into the new year, the killings are continuing apace, with 16 Arab homicide victims in less than two weeks.

Arab leaders have blamed police for the sharp rise in homicides, citing the small percentage of murders solved by law enforcement. Since Ben Gvir began overseeing the police as national security minister in 2023, the homicide rate in Arab society has doubled.

“When the police allow the criminals to run rampant without interruption, there will be crime, there will be criminal........

© The Times of Israel