After four people murdered over the past week in violent incidents in the Arab sector, Israeli Arabs are frustrated at what they perceive as lack of interest from authorities.
“Arab MKs are dealing with Gaza and other things. It would appear they don’t care about what happens in the sector,” an angry resident of Tamra said Tuesday after a fourth person fell victim to violence in the Arab sector over the past week.
A 60-year-old Tamra resident was shot to death on Tuesday night after unknown perpetrators on a motorcycle opened fire on a supermarket in the city. Three innocent passersby, including the one who was killed, were wounded in the incident.
On Sunday, a 33-year-old man was stabbed to death in a fight between relatives in the Arraba local council in the Galilee. Six were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the murder.
Last week, a 42-year-old teacher from the Druze village of Beit Jann was murdered. Her body was discovered with signs of severe violence. Her husband, a Border Police officer, and her son were arrested.
Three days before that, a 49-year-old resident of Tayibe was killed from a stray bullet fired near his house.
The latest case in Tamra has raised concerns among Arab residents who feel that their lives are in danger in light of the recent increase in violence and crime in the sector.
Following the murder in Tamra, Mayor Suhel Diab announced a general strike and demanded an answer from authorities on how to deal with the mounting violence.
“Unfortunately, the Arab sector is bleeding,” Diab said. “It’s time to join hands. Every mother and father who know of a relative that owns a gun are asked to inform the police before other people are hurt. We need full cooperation between the police and the residents.”
The mayor called on the police to send massive forces into Arab communities. “We need to install more security camera. It can’t be that in Karmiel and Acre hundreds of cameras were installed and we have to settle for only nine cameras.”
Despite the recent murders, there has been no condemnation from Arab MKs. An official from the Joint Arab List told Ynet in response, “We view these violent incidents very seriously and make an effort all the time to deal with this phenomenon. MK Ahmed Tibi held a sulha (reconciliation ceremony) at his house between families that had a blood feud.”
The Tamra victim was a Meretz activist. MK Esawi Freige’s office said that “The uncontrollable violence in the Arab society has once again claimed a life, a precious life of a wonderful man, a representative of the public. Today is the time for sadness and remembrance, but it is our duty to understand that we must fight this destructive violence, fight against it from within using education and authority and fight from without using a police force that doesn’t run away and ignore, but handles it.”
As reported by Ynetnews