Arab umbrella group urges premier to fire Ben Gvir over failure to curb violent crime

The National Committee of Heads of Arab Local Authorities calls on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to fire National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir over the latter’s failure to make good on his election promise to curb surging violent crime rates in the Arab community.

At a conference in Baqa al-Gharbiya, Committee chair Mazen Ghanaim says that “if Netanyahu doesn’t fire him, this is a sign he’s interested in continuing to count our dead,” drawing applause from those in attendance.

Ghanaim says he contacted an aide to Police Commissioner Kobi Yaakobi, but that requests to arrange a meeting have gone unanswered.

Officials say 232 people have been murdered this year due to violent crime in the Arab community, almost as high as last year’s all-time record of 244.

A central part of Ben Gvir’s election campaign two years ago was a promise to “restore order” and curb violent crime rates in the Arab community, but the numbers have only surged under his watch.