The Israel Police and Israel Tax Authority are taking a novel approach to cracking down on those involved in criminal organizations in the Arab sector, by providing suspected criminals with forms for declaring income and finances to explain how they have accumulated their capital, property, and vehicles.
The Israel Police announced on Thursday morning that law enforcement had created a list of 414 targets identified as crime bosses in the Arab street, and who have accumulated large amounts of finances, real estate, and luxuries.
“Those perpetrators of crime will now have to give answers in the interrogation room [on] where their wealth came from and why they did not declare their property as is customary in the State of Israel”
Police Intelligence Superintendent Shmuel Sharvit
Officers and tax authority representatives had arrived a the homes of the targets and provided them with the declarations. They said that this week dozens of warrants had already been filed. The State Attorney’s Office has begun filing against 21 of the suspects.
Since the beginning of the year, the police said that they had seized NIS 1.3 billion in illegal assets.
Police Intelligence Superintendent Shmuel Sharvit said the operation was conducted in accordance with the policies of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Police Chief Kobi Shabtai. He said that they were hitting criminals in their pockets.
Chief of Police Kobi Shabtai patrol on Jaffa Street in Jerusalem, November 25, 2022. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)“Those perpetrators of crime will now have to give answers in the interrogation room [on] where their wealth came from and why they did not declare their property as is customary in the State of Israel,” said Sharvit. “The Israel Police’s persistent fight against black money cuts off the oxygen pipe of the criminal organizations.”
Sharvit noted that the police continued to fight against another aspect of surging crime, the illegal arms trade.
Since the year began police have confiscated 1,233 pistols, 218 rifles, 493 improvised weapons, 54 shotguns, 453 different types of grenades, 231 explosive charges, and 166,176 rounds of ammunition.
Over 160 people have been killed in surging Arab sector criminal violence since the beginning of 2023, many of the murders conducted with illegal firearms.
At a Thursday subcommittee meeting dedicated to countering the crime wave, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proposed a series of control mechanisms and economic packages to further degrade criminal infrastructure.
“We are in a real war against serious crime in the Arab sector. The ministerial committee is promoting five very strong laws that will strengthen our ability to fight the criminal organizations,” said Netanyahu.
The package would provide the police with technological and administrative tools to the Israel Police, and Netanyahu ordered a team to meet to discuss further cooperation between the police and Shin Bet on the matter.
New monitoring protocols
A supervision mechanism would be introduced to monitor funds transfers and tender issuance in local councils, as well as an economic legislation basket, to counter protection racketeering.
Roi Kahlon, who previously worked in the State Attorney’s Office on economic crimes, was appointed by Netanyahu as the project head for the government’s program against Arab sector crime.
“Addressing violence in Arab society is one of the most significant challenges facing the State of Israel today,” said Kahlon. “The citizens of the state face a wave of crime and violence that does not distinguish between woman or man, young or old, citizen or elected official, candidate or head of council.”
Kahlon said that his appointment signaled the seriousness with which the government was approaching the problem.
“All the partners in dealing with the national challenge are working together in order to bring about the eradication of criminal terrorism,” said Kahlon.
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