Israel, of course, is the homeland of the Jewish people and was founded as the Jewish state.
Too many of us, however, tend to ignore that about 20% of the country’s citizenship consists of non-Jews – mostly Arabs, but also Druze, Bedouin, and Christians.
During the October 7 massacre, Hamas terrorists didn’t distinguish between their Jewish and non-Jewish victims, whom they butchered. And in the two-year war that followed, Israeli Arab, Druze, and Bedouin soldiers fought – and fell – side by side with their Jewish comrades.
The fears that were expressed by some that the Arab Israeli population would turn against Israel from within and form another front with Hamas proved to be unfounded hysteria. By and large, the war demonstrated that the non-Jewish population of Israel identifies as Israeli, and our loss and battles were their loss and battles.
There is currently a scourge in Arab Israeli society of unhindered violence. Last year was the deadliest on record for the Arab community in Israel, with 252 people killed in crime-related violence. In the first month of 2026, 27 Arab Israeli citizens were murdered.
Gradual uprooting and change
Clearly, an endemic issue within Arab society requires gradual uprooting and change. Honor killings of women and retaliation among clan members for generational grudges must be eradicated through education, and the proliferation of guns must be cut off.
As citizens of the country, they need the government to treat this epidemic with full force and commitment that it would devote to a spate of violent crime and murder in any other area of Israel, whether Netanya, Ramle, or Beersheba.
Saturday night’s demonstration in Tel Aviv, in which tens of thousands of Arab and Jewish Israelis marched together, calling for stronger law enforcement and safer streets, could prove to be a watershed moment for Israel and its relation to Arab society.
It was a testament that Arab Israelis are beginning to take control of their destiny and have learned from the last three-plus years of protests against judicial reform and for the hostages in Gaza that to get things done in this country, you need to stand up and make your voice heard, using peaceful means.
The rally was organized by the High Follow-Up Committee, the leading body for Arab citizens of Israel, to capture the attention of the Jewish public and win support for Arab society’s struggle against organized crime.
A theme heard throughout the protest by Arab participants was that they have shown their mettle during the two years of war, they identify as Israelis, and they want to receive the same treatment as Israeli Jews.
Many demonstrators waved black flags and held signs reading, “Stop the war of crime,” “We are with you; you are not alone,” and “This isn’t helplessness; it’s policy.”
Former Arab Israeli MK and community leader Jamal Zahalka, speaking at the rally, dismissed claims that crime in the Arab sector is a cultural problem.
“This argument collapses with a simple comparison… socially and culturally, we [Arab Israelis] are very similar to the West Bank and Jordan, where the number of murders is less than one for every 100,000 people,” he said, adding that in Arab Israeli society, the homicide rate is over 15 for every 100,000 people.
Rahat Mayor Talal al-Krenawi said Israel’s Arabs, Druze, and Bedouin are professionals, such as doctors, nurses, lawyers, judges, pharmacists, and teachers. They are normative elements of Israeli society and have every right to demand to be treated with equality in their country, he said.
Achieving this goal requires a collaborative effort, involving both the reeducation of Arab society and a significantly increased commitment from the government and police to ensure these citizens experience the same sense of safety and security that the rest of us take for granted.
In addition, the Arab communities and leadership need to cooperate with the police and other law-enforcement representatives; otherwise, the crime situation won’t improve.
Saturday night’s rally was a cry for help and equality for Israel’s Arab citizens. It also proves that Israel is a liberal democracy – despite what the world may think.
The government argues it has already increased police manpower and intelligence efforts in Arab localities and is working on tougher penalties for gun crime, protection for witnesses, and broader economic programs. According to government officials, without sustained cooperation from municipal leaders and residents, criminal organizations will keep exploiting silence and fear.