2022 was the deadliest year on record for Israeli-Arab children, with seven children murdered in acts of violence and crime, according to a report published by the Abraham Initiatives on Thursday.
In total, 111 Israeli Arabs and four non-citizen residents were murdered in Israel in acts of crime and violence in 2022. This figure marks a slight decrease compared to last year, when 126 people were murdered, but is still higher than 2020 when there were 96 murders and 2019 when there were 89 murders.
Some 69 of the victims were under the age of 31 and seven were under the age of 16. The youngest victim was just two-years-old.
100 of the victims were shot to death. 22 of the victims were from mixed cities, 41 were from the Galilee, 16 were from the Negev and four were from east Jerusalem. The organization also noted that while the number of murders decreased in Umm al-Fahm, it increased in the Negev.
Only 24 of the cases were solved by police.
'All red lines have been crossed,' warns Abraham Initiatives
"The past year was a record year for the number of children who lost their lives in circumstances related to violence and crime in Arab society. This figure, alongside incidents of shooting at mourning houses, shooting in broad daylight and shooting in city centers and residential neighborhoods indicate that all red lines have been crossed," noted the Abraham Initiatives.
"In the current political situation, the police are facing a doubled challenge to acquire the public's trust. When the minister in charge of the police is a blatant racist who demands extensive powers over the use of force, suspicion arises among the public, and therefore the police will have to act in a smart and sensitive manner with the Arab citizens."
The Abraham Initiatives praised the foundations laid in the past year by public officials who launched a number of programs, including the "Safe Route" program, to combat crime in the Israeli Arab sector. The organization called for these plans to be continued.