Over 200 Arabs killed in crime violence this year, following grenade attack, fatal shooting

NOVEMBER 15, 2026 08:21The number of people killed in crime-related violence in Israel's Arab sector since the beginning of 2026 rose to 201 on Saturday, following the murder of Lina Qassem Zidan, a resident of Daliyat al-Carmel, in a grenade attack targeting a business in Kafr Manda, and the fatal shooting of a man in Taiba later that evening.Zidan, an innocent bystander, was killed in the attack in a busy commercial area. Her death underscored growing concerns among northern residents that organized crime threatens not only public safety but also thriving commercial centers that attract visitors from across Israel.Several hours later, a man was shot dead in Taiba, in the Sharon region, under circumstances that remain unclear."It's time to dismiss the failed police commissioner, along with the district commanders who implemented the policies of the 'TikTok minister,'" said Jafar Farah, director of the Mossawa Center for Arab Citizens' Rights, referring to National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir."Two hundred dead are not just a statistic. This is an ongoing massacre that should have set off every alarm bell long ago and led to the dismissal of those responsible for this failure. We cannot continue counting victims while those responsible for the failure remain in their positions."Israeli security forces are seen at the scene where three men were shot dead by assassins in the city of Shfaram, northern Israel, January 7, 2026 (credit: FLASH90)According to data from the Abraham Initiatives, 201 Arabs have been killed in crime-related violence since the beginning of 2026, including 192 citizens and nine residents.Among the victims were 14 women and girls. Of those killed, 167 were shot, 10 were stabbed, seven died in fires, and one was killed in a vehicular attack. The organization also reported that nine people had been shot by police officers.This marks the sixth year in which the number of victims has reached triple digits, with the death toll exceeding 200 in each of the past four years.The Abraham Initiatives condemned the grenade attack, warning that such incidents reflect the growing disregard for human life among criminal organizations."Anyone who throws a grenade in the heart of a community, with complete disregard for human life, has no qualms about murdering innocent people. There is no justification, nor can there be any justification, for such an act. This shocking murder is another manifestation of an intolerable reality in which the lives of Arab citizens are abandoned," the organization said.'Every household in Arab society is under threat'During the same period last year, 226 people were killed, meaning the current death toll represents a decline of approximately 11%. However, with several weeks remaining in 2026, Saturday's killings highlighted the continued threat of violence.The figures also fail to capture the broader scale of crime affecting Arab communities, including attempted murders, extortion, property crimes, and other forms of violence.They also exclude certain murder victims, including residents of the Palestinian territories killed inside Israel.One such case was the recent murder of 21-year-old Tamara Omran in Acre. Her fiancé is suspected of killing her and dismembering her body before fleeing to Nablus. He has not yet been extradited.Shahira Shalaby, co-executive director of the Abraham Initiatives, described a climate of fear that has spread throughout Arab communities."It's frightening because anyone can become a victim of this," she said. "Every household in Arab society is under threat. You cannot know where the threat will come from."Shalaby said business owners increasingly face extortion and protection rackets, while parents fear criminal organizations could recruit their children while they are still in high school.The scene of a grenade explosion in Kafr Manda in northern Israel that wounded four people, November 14, 2026. (credit: SECTION 27A COPYRIGHT ACT)The violence in Kafr Manda struck particularly close to home for Shalaby, whose husband is originally from the town.She described Kafr Manda as a vibrant commercial hub, with shops, businesses, and restaurants attracting Jewish and Arab visitors from northern and central Israel.She also praised the community's strong social ties, sense of mutual responsibility, and close relationships among residents."It's an amazing community," she said.But organized crime, she warned, is now "eating away at them from within."Shalaby expressed concern that the consequences of the violence could extend far beyond those directly affected, threatening the economic development of Arab towns.She pointed to Nazareth, where she said businesses have closed, owners have faced threats, and some residents have even left Israel because of crime.She warned that other Arab communities could face a similar fate if the violence continues unchecked.According to Shalaby, the growing influence of criminal organizations threatens years of progress in Arab society, including improvements in education, increased participation of women in the workforce, and economic growth."This is mafia-level crime," Shalaby said.Ben-Gvir is 'failed minister,' abandoned Arab societyShe warned that criminal organizations have expanded their influence into public tenders and private businesses, while developing connections within local institutions."Only the state can deal with them," she stressed, calling for stronger law enforcement and efforts to cut off the financial resources sustaining criminal organizations.Shalaby also criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government and Ben-Gvir, whom she described as a "failed minister" who had abandoned Arab society.At the same time, she acknowledged that Arab communities themselves have a responsibility to confront the crisis."Arab society also bears responsibility. But we want help," she said.Shalaby said civil society organizations, local authority heads, and educators were ready to cooperate in tackling crime but needed the government to lead a coordinated response."Criminal organizations operate without fear, and citizens are paying with their lives for the continued failure of the government and police to protect them," the Abraham Initiatives said."How many more citizens must be murdered before the state fulfills its basic duty to protect its citizens?"Dr. Jamal Zahalka, chairman of the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee in Israel, also accused the government of failing to address the surge in organized crime."I point an accusing finger at the government and the person who heads it, which is not acting against crime and violence in Arab society," Zahalka told Walla."Anyone who can reduce crime and does not do so encourages and fuels it. Criminal organizations now control Arab communities more than the police, which are evading their responsibility. It is time for a fundamental change, beginning with the adoption of a binding government decision to eradicate crime and criminal organizations in Arab society."Follow us on Google