Violence spikes in Arab sector, Knesset to convene on escalations

Four people were shot in separate incidents in Israeli-Arab communities over the weekend, one of them resulting in the death of 21-year-old Muhammad Adnan al-Khalid Deif.

Deif’s father said he hopes his son’s death will end the violence in the Arab community, which has sparked Arab-Israeli MKs to press the government to take more action to counter violent crimes.

“If Muhammad’s blood will correct our society, I give up the right of family and give up retribution from the murderer,” he said. “We must stop the bloodbath and killing of our children. This murder hurts us all. I hope Muhammad is the last victim.”

Blue and White has initiated a special Knesset discussion with the participation of the prime minister on the issue of the increasing violence.

Against the backdrop of violence in society – the phenomenon of violence against women and homicides within families, as well as cases of violence in the Arab sector – the Blue and White Party appealed to all factions in the parliament to hold an urgent discussion in the Knesset on the government’s response toward violence in society.

To date, the Joint List, whose members also intended to launch a special Knesset discussion on the issue of violence within the Arab society, has joined the initiative, as have Labor and Democratic Union.

Blue and White will work to ensure that this discussion will take place immediately following Sukkot.

Arab MKs from the Joint List met for three hours in Jerusalem on Thursday with Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan and acting Police Commissioner Moti Cohen to discuss ways of combating violent crime among the country’s 1.9-million Arab sector.

Khaled Abu Toameh contributed to this article.