5 dead as Israel ramps up anti-Arab violence

Five members of an Arab family were killed in their home in Israel, according to Reuters, September 27.

The five shot dead on September 27 include a woman and two teenagers who were gunned down in Basmat Tab’un, a district town in Northern Israel.

At least 235 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces this year alone, 44 of which were children in what is the bloodiest Israeli violence recorded since 2014.

Israel’s far-right Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has done little to nothing to address the continuing attacks committed on Palestinians and the Arabic community in general, in fact many have accused the 73-year-old and his government of being complicit in facilitating the increasing violence.

The country’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir denied accusations that he and the government are ignoring the brutality as well as affirming that fighting crime is a key priority for those in power and the national police.

Arab mayors have refused to cooperate with Ben-Gvir due to his previous convictions for being supportive of terrorist organisations.

In his younger days, the minister faced charges for hate speech directed at the Arabic community as well as being convicted of supporting a terrorist group (Kach). The now-banned group endorsed extremist Zionist ideology and hardline anti-Arab views.

Arab mayors have also bashed the government for its failures to protect the country’s Arabic community as well as accusing them of impunity against criminals.

Controversial judicial reforms in the Middle Eastern country led to tens of thousands of people descending to the streets of major cities. Passed in July 2023, Netanyahu’s critics have claimed that the new law will undermine democracy as it will enfeeble the judicial system.

Many human rights organisations and the UN have called Israel out for its negative treatment of Palestinians, its increasingly authoritarian stance and its disregard for international law.

REUTERS

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