50,000 Protest in Sakhnin as Unprecedented Crime Wave Hits Arab Communities in Israel
Tens of thousands of people filled the streets of Sakhnin on Thursday in what became one of the largest protests in recent years over spiraling violence in Arab communities and what demonstrators described as a failure by police to curb it.
The homicide toll in Arab society has reached 20 since the start of the year, continuing a record-breaking trend seen in recent years.
Participants waved black flags and chanted slogans in Arabic directed at National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, accusing him of neglecting the bloodshed and treating Arab lives as expendable. The rally came after days of strikes in the northern Arab city, where residents say near-nightly gunfire has targeted local businesses in recent weeks as criminal groups demand protection payments.
Give the gift of hope
We practice what we preach:
accurate, fearless journalism. But we can't do it alone.
- On the ground in Gaza, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Pakistan, and more
- Our program trained more than 100 journalists
- Calling out fake news and reporting real facts
- On the ground in Gaza, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Pakistan, and more
- Our program trained more than 100 journalists
- Calling out fake news and reporting real facts
Join us.
Support The Media Line. Save democracy.
The demonstration followed a nationwide call for a general strike by the High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens of Israel, the main umbrella body representing Arab society. Arab towns and cities across the country joined the strike in solidarity with Sakhnin, closing schools, kindergartens, businesses and public services.
Organizers estimated that about 50,000 people took part in Thursday’s protest, including doctors, lawyers, pharmacists and engineers who walked off the job to attend.
Sakhnin has now seen four consecutive days of shutdowns. Residents say months of shootings, extortion attempts and threats have left many fearful and frustrated by what they view as insufficient enforcement.
At the same time, a list circulated on social media naming individuals allegedly involved in criminal activity such as extortion, shootings and drug trafficking. Several of those mentioned denied any connection to the accusations.
Speaking to Ynet, Mayor Mazen Ghanayem questioned how citizens can be killed at all hours without decisive action from authorities. He criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for acknowledging in the Knesset that money is flowing to crime families while, in his view, failing to confront them. Ghanayem said the ongoing violence is pushing some residents to leave for Jewish communities in search of safety and warned that if the state does not respond, protesters may escalate their actions by blocking major roads to draw attention to their plight.
