Prime Minister Naftali Bennet on Sunday vowed to step up the battle against the crime wave plaguing the country's Arab sector, telling his ministers, "We are losing the country".
Bennett made the remarks during a weekly cabinet meeting, adding that government ministers have "full backing" in the fight against violent crime in Israeli Arab communities.
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Prime Minister Naftali Bennett during a weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday
(Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)
Bennett made the remarks as his government voted to approve a proposed amendment to the law — tabled by Justice Minister Gideon Saar — to grant police increased authority to search private homes without a court order.
If implemented, the amendment will be in effect for three to four years and will be brought to the Knesset plenum later, where it is also expected to be approved. It was proposed in the wake of newly emerged statistics that show that 80% of murder cases in the Arab sector remain unsolved.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz said during the cabinet meeting that he approved of the motion but cautioned against the police overstepping their authority, while Environment Minister Tamar Zandberg from the left-wing Meretz party said the measures are not in line with democracy.
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A member of the police detains a suspect during a raid against Arab criminal gangs in August
(Photo: Police Spokesperson )
Saar for his part replied that "unusual times require unusual measures".
However, Regional Cooperation Minister Issawi Frej, also from Meretz, said he does not object even to "the CIA's" involvement in the fight against criminal gangs, as long as the sense of personal security is returned to the Arab residents.
Since the beginning of the year, more than 100 Arab citizens were killed in violent, criminal incidents, 30 of them since the police established a special taskforce to deal with the crisis.
"The police must be given the best possible tools to succeed in their mission to end the violence. The right to life is also a human right and I will bring more legislation until we end the crime wave," Saar said.
The suggested amendment would grant police the authority to search anywhere and anytime there is probable cause of a serious crime, including extortion and the use of illegal weapons, and when there is concern that evidence would be destroyed or that a suspect is being kept away from law enforcement.