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Saturday, July 4, 2026
Report: Shin Bet to receive funds to tackle Arab crime through weapons smuggling crackdown
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleJeremy Sharon is The Times of Israel’s legal affairs and settlements reporter
The government is set to divert funds from the five-year development program for Arab society established under the Bennett-Lapid government to the Shin Bet to help tackle the causes behind the rampant crime in the Arab community, according to a Ynet report, following similar reports by Channel 12 and 13.
This would mark the first time the Shin Bet is tasked with tackling the issue, but it will focus on finding illegal weapons in the Arab community and combatting smuggling, since the agency is prohibited by law from actively dealing with crime in that sector.
There is some NIS 1.3 billion ($433.5 million) left from the five-year development plan, which Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs has reportedly said will be redirected to the Shin Bet.
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