Netanyahu challenges Arab minority to get tough on crime

In the wake of three murders of Arab Israelis over the weekend, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the Arab community to help the government in reducing Arab-on-Arab crime. At the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu asked for more people to participate in law enforcement activities by volunteering in the civilian service.

“Reducing crime in the Arab sector is a goal of the government and it needs to be a goal of the country,” said Netanyahu. “The Arab sector can help itself vis-à-vis increased law enforcement as well.”

Netanyahu said he appreciated increasing voices from within the Arab sector calling for stepped-up law enforcement in Arab communities, calling it “an important change,” but asked for more cooperation with law enforcement agencies.

“Last week I attended a conference that the government organized on increasing the involvement of Israeli Arabs in Israel’s economic growth. We spoke there about the steps to involve them in the economy, education, transportation, access to jobs and many other issues,” said Netanyahu, adding that without law enforcement, none of the steps will “achieve the goal that we are hoping for and striving toward — i.e., the integration of Israeli Arabs in the State of Israel’s progress.”

According to a report on crime statistics submitted to the Knesset in 2010, in the previous year Arab Israelis made up 41 percent of all murder suspects, 36% of suspects in attempted murder cases and 43% of robbery suspects. Arabs make up roughly 20% of the general population.

The report cited high levels of poverty and the breakup of traditional clan units as the main reasons for crime in the Arab population.