Tel Aviv Protest Highlights Surge in Arab Community Violence

Thousands took to the streets in the Israeli coastal metropolis of Tel Aviv on Sunday, demanding that the government address the escalating criminal violence in Arab communities, resulting in 140 deaths this year alone. The protesters, representing more than 30 organizations and including several members of Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, from diverse political backgrounds, marched from Habima Square to the Tel Aviv Museum. One hundred and forty symbolic coffins, representing the victims of homicides in the Arab community this year, were displayed. These coffins bore slogans depicting the lost futures these victims could have had. The surge in violence, experts say, is mainly due to organized criminal groups and has been exacerbated by state neglect and discrimination. Comparatively, last year saw 66 deaths within the same period. Protest organizer Saliman Al-Amar, CEO of the Arab-Jewish Center for Empowerment, Equality, and Cooperation – Negev Institute for Strategies of Peace and Economic Development (AJEEC-NISPED), an Arab-Jewish organization dedicated to social change in the Negev, said the demonstration aimed to highlight the Arab community’s plight to the wider Israeli society. Despite the significant rise in homicides in the Arab community, Jewish communities see around two dozen killings yearly. Ta’al party chairman Ahmad Tibi voiced concerns over what he characterized as the government’s complacency, accusing them of being indifferent to Arab-on-Arab crime. Meanwhile, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who oversees the police, remained silent on the matter but has promoted increased civilian gun ownership.