Man shot dead near Umm al-Fahm, the 177th Arab homicide victim this year

A man was shot dead near the Arab city of Umm al-Fahm overnight, medics and police said Friday, as a wave of violent crime continues to ravage the community.

Paramedics arrived at the scene at the Musmus Intersection and treated the man for critical wounds, according to a statement by the Magen David Adom ambulance service.

He was taken to Haemek Medical Center in Afula, where he was declared dead shortly after arrival. Another man who suffered an anxiety attack after the incident was also taken to the hospital.

The Abraham Initiatives anti-violence advocacy group identified the victim as 25-year-old Mohammad Agbarya.

Police said they launched an investigation into the shooting.

According to the Abraham Initiatives, 177 members of the Arab community have been killed in homicides since the beginning of the year, compared to 80 during the same period in 2022.

Members of the Arab community protest against the violence in their community, at Habima Square in Tel Aviv on August 6, 2023. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

Of those slain this year, 161 were shot dead, the group said.

The killings are part of a violent crime wave that has engulfed the Arab community in recent years. Many community leaders blame the police, who they say have failed to crack down on powerful criminal organizations and largely ignore the violence. They also point to decades of neglect and discrimination by government offices as the root cause of the problem.

Authorities have blamed burgeoning organized crime and the proliferation of weaponry, while some have pointed to a failure by communities to cooperate with law enforcement to root out criminals.

Earlier this month, the Arab community went on strike as municipal leaders called for the establishment of an emergency committee to fight the relentless crime wave.

The violence has increasingly spilled into municipal politics in recent weeks, with threats and attacks directed against mayors, candidates, other municipal officials, and their families. A mayoral candidate in Abu Snan, in northern Israel, was among four people killed in an attack late last month

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.