Israel Police has unveiled new policies to combat the massive increase in violent crime in the Arab communities.
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Following growing public criticism, police officials and the Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan say they are conducting studies to determine why the Arab sector has seen a rise in crime as opposed to the general population.
Officials say the proposals will require new legislation and a change in prosecution policies.
There will be no more plea bargaining in crimes involving illegal weapons.
The police will litigate such cases to the end to ensure the maximum prison terms are handed down to offenders according to sources.
Responding to public criticism, a high-ranking police official says that, "the situation is not entirely the fault of the police."
"In the Jewish sector when we get a call, we rush right in and secure the scene," he said, but in the Arab sector police wait for backup and special forces.
"By the time we arrive on the scene, evidence has been tampered with," he said.
Responding to claims the police has been effective in dealing with organized crime in the Jewish sector while those in Arab communities have been allowed to operate undisturbed, officials say only 10% of violent shooting incidents in Arab towns that have claimed dozens of lives this year alone can be attributed to the criminal underworld.
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Demonstrators block a major highway protesting violence in Arab communities (Photo: AFP)
(צילום: AFP)
"Most shooting incidents are the results of fights between clans and families, old feuds and silliness that ended with live fire," the official said. "Many of the victims were targeted for family affiliation."
But police and community leaders all agree the problem is in the number of illegal weapons on the street.
"Many of the weapons are homemade or smuggled from the West Bank," said a police source. "That will require a different approach on our part."