Widespread Palestinian movement within the Green Line in rejection of the spread of crime

Several Palestinian cities and towns within the Green Line witnessed a widespread popular movement in rejection of the spread of crime and violence, and what participants described as the Israeli police's failure to confront organized crime that claims the lives of hundreds annually in the Arab community within the 48 territories. Palestinians performed Friday prayers in the Sakhnin municipality square and in the village of Al-Araqeeb in the Negev in protest against the spread of crime, while simultaneous protests were organized in several towns, including I'billin and Tamra. Demonstrators raised banners with slogans such as "Stop the crime war," "Where is the police? Or is negligence a policy?" and "Our blood is not cheap." The city of Sakhnin witnessed a massive demonstration yesterday, Thursday, in which tens of thousands of Palestinians participated, coinciding with a comprehensive strike that swept Arab cities and towns within the Green Line at the call of the High Follow-up Committee and the National Committee of Heads of Arab Local Authorities.

Participants chanted slogans against Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, whom they accuse of direct responsibility for the spread of crime and the Israeli police's inaction, while others carried black flags expressing their anger. Activists described the demonstration that took place in Sakhnin yesterday, Thursday, as the largest demonstration a Palestinian city within the Green Line has witnessed in years.

The leaders of the four Arab parties in Israel (the National Democratic Assembly, the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality, the Arab Movement for Change, and the United List) signed a document in which they pledged to work on re-forming the "Joint List" and contesting the upcoming elections with a unified list in response to the demands of the Palestinian street for unifying political representation. The signing came, according to local media platforms, in the wake of increasing popular pressure demanding unity in the face of escalating crime and deteriorating security within Arab towns.

In Jerusalem, hundreds of Palestinians demonstrated on Wednesday in front of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office in protest against what they described as the government's failure to stop the wave of crimes and killings. Statistics indicate an unprecedented rise in the number of crime victims within the Green Line. According to sources, 16 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of 2026, including 12 by bullets, while 252 Palestinians were killed in 2025, an increase estimated at about 10% from 2024. Palestinians within the Green Line - who constitute about 21% of the population - affirm that the Israeli government practices policies of discrimination and marginalization against them that have been ongoing for decades, and they hold the Israeli police responsible for the spread of weapons and organized crime, noting that the inaction is "systematic" and linked to political considerations.