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organized crime in Israel

Yanis Yushvaev, who was shot dead near Caesarea on August 23, 2026, in an undated photo shared on social media. (Social media, used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
August 23, 2026, 10:42 pm
Crime boss shot dead in broad daylight at Caesarea gas station
Footage shows gunman opening fire at point-blank range; Or Akiva businessman had repeatedly been arrested over suspected violent crimes, but never convicted
By Noam Lehmann
A view of a Japanika restaurant branch owned by businessman Barak Abramov that was damaged in a shooting in Herzliya, central Israel, July 14, 2026. (Tal Gal/Flash90)
July 22, 2026, 6:49 pm
US embassy urges caution among American citizens in Israel amid uptick in organized crime
Warning comes in the wake of an escalating conflict between influential crime families in Israel, which sparked a series of attacks at branches of the Japanika sushi chain
By Nava Freiberg and ToI Staff
Police officers outside the scene of the murder of a 19-year-old man in the Nachlaot neighborhood of Jerusalem, July 11, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
July 16, 2026, 12:01 pm
Government okays Shin Bet to fight crime in Arab society, sparking rights concerns
Some half a billion shekels to be diverted from community development plan and given to security agency, police to take on organized crime; rights groups pan move as discriminatory
By Stuart Winer and ToI Staff
Firefighters put out a blaze sparked by a grenade attack on a branch of Japanika in Afula, July 14, 2026 (Screen grab/Israel Fire and Rescue Services)
July 14, 2026, 1:10 pm
Grenade attacks across Israel target sushi chain in escalating feud between crime families
One lightly hurt in south Tel Aviv attack, with several bombings and shootings targeting Japanika, which is owned by Barak Abramov, thought to be tied to Jarushi gang
By ToI Staff
First responders at the scene of a shooting in Haifa early in the morning of July 2, 2026. (MDA)
July 2, 2026, 10:05 am
Two more slain in Arab community, raising this week’s toll to nine
18-year-old gunned down in Haifa, two seriously hurt; hours later, 30-year-old shot dead in Reineh; watchdog figures show 149 homicides in Arab community since start of year
By ToI Staff
Police and rescue forces at the scene where a car exploded in a suspected gangland killing, in Jaffa, June 28, 2026. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
June 28, 2026, 11:50 am
Five slain within hours in shootings, car-bombings amid spiraling Arab community violence
Father killed, 6-year-old son injured as vehicle explodes in Jaffa; man killed in Jaffa car bomb; 2 gunned down in Qalansawe, another in Taibe; toll in Arab community this year reaches at least 141
By Charlie Summers and ToI Staff
Police officers collect evidence at the scene of a car bombing that left a woman dead in Tel Aviv on June 4, 2026. (Screenshot/Israel Police)
June 4, 2026, 12:48 pm
Woman killed by car bomb on Ayalon Highway; police arrest estranged husband
Lia Malka, 35, is survived by couple’s 2-year-old daughter; suspect was reportedly questioned recently for threatening her and her family amid messy divorce proceedings
By Charlie Summers and ToI Staff
A burning car that had two people inside and that was discovered on Route 40, June 1, 2026. (Magen David Adom)
June 1, 2026, 9:49 pm
Two killed by explosive device in car on road near Beersheba
Vehicle veers off Route 40; passengers declared dead at scene; police say fire caused by bomb, incident tied to organized crime; man stabbed to death in Ashkelon
By Charlie Summers
Scene of a fatal shooting in the coastal city of Herzliya, April 2, 2026. (Israel Police)
April 3, 2026, 8:52 am
Man shot dead in Herzliya, another in Rahat, in third killing in town in a week
Death toll in the Arab community rises to 78 since the start of the year amid unrelenting series of gangland killings
By ToI Staff
Illustrative. An ambulance belonging to the Magen David Adom ambulance service. (Gershon Elinson/Flash90)
March 18, 2026, 1:37 pm
Man shot dead in Holon criminal violence amid missile fire from Iran
Morad Shwiki, a bus driver from East Jerusalem, gunned down in his car; police say shooting related to organized crime, raising toll in Arab community to four this week
By ToI Staff
File: Then-Nazareth mayor Ali Salam seen after a meeting with Foreign Minister Yair Lapid (not pictured) outside the Foreign Ministry offices in Jerusalem, May 22, 2022. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
February 26, 2026, 5:16 pm
Former Nazareth mayor charged with funneling millions from city to crime family
12 defendants allegedly part of decade-long scheme transferring some $20 million in public funds to Bakri syndicate, linked to Arab community violence
By Charlie Summers
Thousands attend a protest against organized crime in the Arab community and call on the state to do more to stop it, in Tel Aviv. January 31, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/FLASH90)
February 8, 2026, 10:10 am
Arab community leads protest convoys throughout country over rampant deadly crime
Traffic chaos expected as vehicles set to converge on Jerusalem for rally protesting government’s failure to curb killings
By ToI Staff
The remains of a car that collided with a bus after the occupants were shot amid a feud between warring crime families, February 3, 2026. (Magen David Adom)
February 4, 2026, 8:49 am
Three men killed in highway shooting that police link to blood feud
Victims, residents of Arab Israeli town of Tira, apparently lose control of their car and smash into bus after being shot at; police arrest three suspects
By Charlie Summers and ToI Staff
Mosab Abu Johar, who was shot dead on January 29, 2026, in Nazareth. (Courtesy)
January 29, 2026, 6:33 pm
Man shot in Nazareth succumbs to wounds in Arab community’s 25th homicide of 2026
34-year-old said to stop at bakery en route to work, but car sprayed with bullets before he could get out; incident comes ahead of Tel Aviv rally demanding state rein in violence
By Charlie Summers
Illustrative: A Magen David Adom ambulance drives through the streets of Haifa, northern Israel, on October 23, 2024. (Michael Giladi/Flash90)
January 27, 2026, 2:54 pm
Man killed, another wounded in shooting in northern town of Yarka
Car lot owner and his employee gunned down, reportedly by assailants on motorcycle; this year’s death toll in Arab Israeli community from violence rises to 24
By Charlie Summers
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