Man shot dead in northern Arab town of Umm al-Fahm

A man was shot dead Sunday evening in the northern town of Um-Al-Fahmm, the Israel Police said, marking the fifth member of the Arab Israeli community to die in street shootings in the past four days.

Medics declared the slain man dead at the scene, the Magen David Adom first responder service reported.

Police said the man’s identity was not immediately known. Officers who arrived opened an investigation and combed the scene for clues while also taking testimonies from eyewitnesses.

The police statement said the motive was being investigated.

His death came after three members of the Arab Israeli community were shot dead in separate incidents on Wednesday and Thursday.

According to the coexistence and anti-violence watchdog the Abraham Initiatives, 189 members of the Arab community have been killed in homicides since the start of the year.

Of those, 157 were shot dead and over a third, 70, were under the age of 30, the group said.

During the same period last year the toll stood at 207, the group said. However, the group has previously said that 2023’s final toll of 244 was the deadliest on recent record for Arab Israeli society.

Violent crime has been on the rise in Israel’s Arab community. Many Arab Israeli community leaders put the blame for the wave of murders on police, who they say have failed to crack down on powerful criminal organizations and largely ignore the violence, which includes family feuds, mafia turf wars, and violence against women.

Leaders say their communities have also suffered from years of neglect by state authorities.