Arab Israelis face a murder rate rivaling that of Mexico and Colombia, with no signs of slowing down.
By World Israel News Staff
The murder rate among Arab Israelis is one of the worst in the developed world, with the number of killings per 100,000 people nearing that of Mexico, a recent study found.
According to a study published by the Taub Center, a Jerusalem-based nonprofit organization focusing on Israeli societal issues, 233 Arab Israelis were murdered in 2023, the most recent year in which full data was available.
Notably, the number of Jewish victims of homicide during that same year (those killed in criminal incidents, not terror attacks) was just 66, akin to the murder rate in Switzerland.
“Israeli Arabs, with a current rate of 11.1 homicides per 100,000 people and 43.9 homicides per 100,000 people aged 20‒34, climb to the 3rd-highest position, far surpassing the U.S. and trailing only Mexico and Colombia,” wrote researchers from the Taub Center.
“From a sociological perspective, this makes sense,” they added. “A culture of violence tends to spread and become entrenched, as has happened among the Arab population in recent years, and violence tends to increase, especially during periods of instability in the country, as we have been experiencing in Israel over the past year.”
Arab Israelis have long complained that the Israeli police have neglected their communities, but suggestions to use Shin Bet resources and other alternatives to clamp down on murders have been rejected by the sector’s leadership.
Police often are unable to prosecute murder cases involving Arab victims, even when they are able to identify the perpetrators, because members of the community are typically unwilling to testify in court or cooperate with the authorities.
“We are committed to taking decisive action against crime and violence using all available resources to increase security in the Arab community,” the Israel Police said in a media statement to Hebrew-language outlet Globes.
“Over the past year, we have prevented dozens of murders by intercepting criminals before they could carry out their plans, thwarted weapons smuggling, and seized thousands of illegal weapon, each one potentially saving lives. The Police Commissioner has ordered an increase in forces and the use of all necessary tools to locate and arrest violent offenders who pose a threat to public safety.”