National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on Tuesday accused Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara of bearing responsibility for a surge in killings in the Arab community, saying the “blood is on her hands.”
Ben-Gvir said that 50 people have been killed in the Arab sector since the start of the year and blamed Baharav-Miara for blocking tougher enforcement measures.
“The blood of those people murdered in the Arab sector is on Gali Baharav-Miara’s hands,” Ben-Gvir said at a conference organized by the religious-nationalist outlet Besheva.
Ben-Gvir, who heads the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, said that three years ago he presented the attorney general with a list of 100 crime families and urged the use of administrative detention — a controversial measure that allows authorities to hold suspects without charge — against them.
“I asked why it’s used against hilltop youth and not against them,” he said, referring to extremist Jewish settlers in the West Bank who have been subject to such orders. He also accused her of preventing police from conducting phone surveillance.
“I went to (Shin Bet Director David) Zini and said I want more and more actions,” Ben-Gvir said. “Without spyware and without administrative detentions, people will continue to be murdered — and it’s Gali Baharav-Miara’s fault. Period.”
Violent crime has plagued the Arab community in recent years, with critics accusing successive governments of failing to curb the influence of organized crime groups and illegal weapons.
On Sunday, Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, also a member of Otzma Yehudit, addressed the issue in an interview with ynet. “We are very successful in the fight against violence,” Eliyahu said, adding that questions about “governance” should be directed at the leadership of the Arab community.
“For more than 100 years, it has ignored the cultural violence in the Arab community,” he said. “If someone were to fire a gun at a wedding in our community, all the guests would jump on him. But in this community, unfortunately — certainly in Israel — we see anarchy, disregard for the rule of law and people who have been dealing in illegal weapons for years.”
Police officials have also pushed back against criticism. Last Thursday, Police Commissioner Danny Levy issued an unusually lengthy statement through the police spokesperson’s office, shifting responsibility to other authorities.
“I turn to the court system and the prosecution: immediate harsher sentencing is required, as well as legal courage in filing swift indictments and promptly handling requests for administrative restriction orders,” Levy said.
He also called for legislative changes to restore technological tools for police use. “I call on the attorney general, the prosecution and the government of Israel: return the technological tools to us immediately,” Levy said. “I stand here and declare — we have no ability to curb and prevent [crime] when our hands are tied, our ears are blocked and our eyes are covered.”