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230 Arab-Israeli Victims of Violence in 2024: Report

The Abraham Initiatives pointed to budget cuts, underpolicing, and widespread access to weapons as factors behind the growing rate of violence in Israel’s Arab community

הפגנה מול הכנסת על היעדר אכיפה של האלימות בחברה הערבית (צילום: יונתן זינדל/פלאש90)
A protest at the Knesset calling on the government to address the problem of violence in Arab-Israeli society. (Photo: Yonatan Zindel/Flash90)
By Yaniv Sharon

According to a report of the Abraham Initiatives, a nonprofit devoted to promoting equality among Israel’s Arab and Jewish citizens, 230 Arab citizens of Israel lost their lives in incidents of violence and crime in 2024. Most of the victims were between the ages of 18 and 40, and 10 were under the age of 18.

The number of victims was a slight decrease from the previous year, when 244 Arab-Israelis were murdered. The 2023 rate was more than double that of 2022.

“The scope and frequency of the tragic phenomena of crime and violence, reflects the state's continued incompetence in dealing with the problem,” the report read. “Rather than increasing efforts, in 2024 we actually saw cuts in budgets allocated for Arab society, including budgets intended for the fight against crime.”

The report also noted that Government Resolution 549, an initiative to combat crime in Arab-Israeli society, has not been fully implemented.

Twenty of the murder victims last year were women, the organization said, an increase of 25% over 2023.  Some were incidental victims of criminal activities or violent conflicts, while others were killed due to gender-based violence.

The report described the prevalence of weapons in Arab-Israeli society as a significant factor in the murder rate, noting that nearly 85% of the victims were shot.

Criminals employed methods other than gun violence as well. Ten Arab-Israeli victims were killed in car explosions, and four, including two young children, were killed when a grenade was thrown on a busy street.

According to the Abraham Initiatives, a key factor in the increasing violence in Arab-Israeli society is inadequate police investigation of murder cases. In 2024, only 14.8% of all murder cases in Arab society were solved by the police, down from 14.9% in 2023 and 21% in 2022.

“Solving cases of violent crime that end in murder is critical in establishing public trust in the police and the law enforcement system,” the organization said. “Cases of killing and murder that do not result in an indictment strengthen the feeling among Arab citizens that their safety is not a priority for the state, weaken trust in its institutions, and reduce the willingness to cooperate with the law enforcement system.”

This article was translated from Hebrew by Leah Schwartz.

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