Commanders admit crime situation in Arab sector is particularly bad
and their share in crime is very large.
Top police commanders said Wednesday that the crime situation in the
Arab sector is particularly bad, but insisted that police are doing a
better job of solving murders in that sector than in the past.
According to Maj.-Gen. Bentzi Sau, Central District Commander, his
district solved ten murder cases in the Arab sector in 2011, compared
to only two in 2010.
"Part of this stems from learning our lessons professionally and
improving our operational abilities," he explained. "Another part is
improved technical instruments that the police have absorbed and are
using. There are also organizational changes; we have added
investigative squads that investigate serious crime."
"Most of the Arab population that lives inside the Central District
is normative and law abiding," he stressed. "However, I am not
ignoring the serious data regarding criminal gangs and crime
organizations of Israeli Arabs that reside within Central District.
Their part in serious crime is very meaningful and the scope of their
crimes is very large."
Police Commissioner Lt. Gen. Yochanan Danino also addressed the
subject of Arab crime Wednesday, in a speech before policemen of the
Central District: "We must improve the personal security level… in
the general public – but in the Arab public especially, where the
situation is particularly bad," he said.
Data released by the Ministry of Public Security shows that in 2011,
Arabs – who make up less than 20% of Israel´s citizens – were the
perpetrators in 67% of the murder cases and in 70% of the attempted
murders, as well as 52% of the arson cases and 36% of the robberies.
