Reducing crime in the Arab sector is a government goal that also needs to be a goal of the country, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Sunday at the start of the weekly
cabinet meeting.
Netanyahu's comments came after there were three murders in the Arab sector last weekend.
"I
appreciate the fact that there are increasing voices from within the
Arab sector, from its leaders, mayors and citizens, calling for
stepped-up law enforcement within Arab communities and villages,"
Netanyahu said.
He went on to say that this was an important
change and he would add to his call for enlistment in the
civilian service. Netanyahu said that this would also make it possible
to combine actions for increased law enforcement.
The prime
minister insisted that the Arab community could help itself: "The Arab
sector can help itself vis-à-vis increased law enforcement by
volunteering in the civilian service as well."
Netanyahu informed
the cabinet that last week he attended a conference that the government
organized on increasing the involvement of Israeli Arabs in Israel's
economic growth.
"We spoke there about the steps to involve
them in the economy, education, transportation, access to jobs and many
other issues," the prime minister explained. He stressed the importance
of all these steps being taken.
"While the government has
invested billions of shekels in moving forward on these goals in the
Arab sector, I would like to say that without law enforcement, none of
these steps will achieve the goal that we are hoping for and striving
toward – i.e. the integration of Israeli Arabs in the State of Israel's
progress," Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu said that alongside all of these actions that, "there must also be partnership in enforcing the law."
The
prime minister said that he expected a practical response from Arab
sector community representatives regarding increased law enforcement in
their communities.
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