Five people have been killed in a shooting in Yafia, near Nazareth in a Thursday afternoon shooting incident, according to Israeli police. The incident is believed to be criminal in nature and police have opened an investigation into the events.
The five people have been identified as Naim Margiyeh, Abu Naim Margiyeh, Iliyah Margiyeh, Louis Abu Rageb and Abraheem Shahada.
This followed a shooting in which a 3-year-old girl and a 30-year-old man were seriously injured in a shooting in Kfar Kana on Thursday afternoon. MDA medics arrived at the scene and provided medical treatment for penetrating injuries. Both were transferred to Poriya Medical Center for further treatment.
The toddler is in serious condition from her wounds, but breathing. The 30-year-old is in critical condition and is unstable, according to Israeli media.
Violent crime continues throughout Israel
The Abraham Initiatives shared data on the continuance of Arab violence in Israel, specifically in 2023. In this year alone, 97 Arabs lost their lives in incidents of violence and crime. 90 were citizens while 7 were not.
According to a statement from the Abraham Initiatives, “We are calling on the Prime Minister – there is no time! Convene the Ministerial Committee for an emergency discussion today, and start working. Every day Ben Gvir is the Minister of National Security is a day when the circle of blood expands.”
In the same period of time last year, 35 people had been killed. Within 2022, 86 victims had been fatally shot, with 42 under the age of 30. 6 of them were women.
“I am determined to bring in the Shin Bet as an aid to the Israel Police against these criminals, against the criminal organizations, against these murders. [I met with] security, legal, and police officials and intend to continue [next week] to reach quick results.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
One of the reported victims in 2023’s data was injured by police fire in 2022, but died in 2023.
On Wednesday, two separate violent incidents were reported. Early Wednesday, a 23-year-old man was seriously injured in a shooting in the village of Deir Hanna in northern Israel. Police have opened an investigation into the incident and believe that it is part of an ongoing dispute between criminals.
On Monday, an Israeli Arab man named Khaled Halabi was killed in a shooting in the village of Khawaled in northern Israel.
An Israeli Arab youth in his twenties was shot and killed in Nazareth on Wednesday night, amid a series of killings since the beginning of the year in the Arab sector. Police have opened an investigation into the shooting. The victim has been identified by Israeli media as Ayman Zoabi from the village of Sulam, near Afula.
Prime Minister Netanyahu vows Shin Bet’s involvement
“I am shocked by the terrible murder near Nazareth. We are determined to stop this chain of murders,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video released shortly after the shootings. “We will do this not only by reinforcing the police but also with the assistance of the Shin Bet.”
“I am determined to bring in the Shin Bet as an aid to the Israel Police against these criminals, against the criminal organizations, against these murders. [I met with] security, legal, and police officials and intend to continue [next week] to reach quick results.”
Hadash-Ta’al MK Youssef Atauna turned to Twitter in a call for the National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to be fired following the shooting in Yafia, and continued increased violence. “I call for the immediate dismissal of the minister in charge of citizen security who failed in his duty to provide security to the Arab citizens of the country,” saying that it has been enough.
טבח ביפיע ואירועי אלימות בלתי פוסקים עם חמישה הרוגים…אני קורא לפיטוריו המידיים של השר הממונה על בטחון האזרחים שנכשל בתפקידו לתת בטחון לאזרחי המדינה הערבים.די
— يوسف العطاونة| יוסף עטאונה | Yousef Atawna (@yousefataw) June 8, 2023
Ra’am MK Waleed Alhwashla released a similar statement on Twitter citing a continuance of violence in Israel’s Arab sector, stating that the communities did not receive the same security measures as others in Israel.
“The streets in [Israel’s] Arab society have become a battlefield, and now a real massacre has taken place, a civil bloodbath. When will the authorities and the administration begin to realize the magnitude of the disaster that is occurring? Or is there no intention to act at all?” he wrote, calling for Ben-Gvir’s firing.
“Such an event in the state of Tel Aviv would have brought the end of the era of the appointed minister, calling for a shutdown of the state until practical steps are taken to eradicate crime.”
הרחובות בחברה הערבית הפכו לשדה קרב, ועכשיו התרחש טבח של ממש، מרחץ דמים אזרחי. מתי הרשויות והממשל יתחילו להפנים את גודל האסון המתרחש? או שאין בכלל כוונה לפעול? אירוע כזה במדינת תל אביב היה מביא לסוף עידן השר הממונה, קורא להשבית את המדינה עד שינקטו צעדים מעשיים למיגור הפשיעה .
— Waleed Alhwashla (@WAlhwashla) June 8, 2023
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