More than half of Israeli residents currently do not feel as safe as they used to, according to a poll conducted by the Conference on Personal Security and Public Safety and HaShomer HaChadash (The New Guardian) and published by Israel Hayom on Tuesday.
Israelis are concerned about the increase in crime, especially in Arab sectors, which has led to the increase in them feeling unsafe, the report said. Overall, 55% of respondents in the poll stated that their sense of personal safety had weakened, which is a significant increase from last year at 41% when the same poll was conducted.
The survey was conducted on the occasion of the Conference on Personal Security and Public Safety taking place on Wednesday, a day after the Israel Hayom report.
18% of respondents in the poll stated that they would not leave their homes at night. That number increases to 44% in Arab sectors. This is likely due to the increase of crime in Arab sectors and the record number of murders in the past year, and is thus reflected in Israeli Arabs' sense of personal safety, the report stated.
The absence of a personal security feeling also affects people's actions in public spaces and even on roads, as 52% of the poll's participants would avoid traveling to the Negev and the Galilee, and in Arab village areas, 21% would not allow their children to go out alone in the evening.
Who can Israeli citizens trust?
The poll also states that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) garners the highest trust across all sectors, while the police have the lowest amount of trust. 81% of respondents reportedly expressed confidence in the IDF, followed by Shin Bet with 75% and the Border Police with 61%. Israel Police only received 25%.
However, in Arab sectors, the lowest amount of trust lies is held by the Border Police at 11%, followed by Israel Police at 18% and the IDF at 26%.
Discussing the issues at hand
With Israel's domestic security situation, tomorrow will mark the third consecutive year for the "Personal Security and Public Safety in Israel" conference.
The conference will feature interviews with the National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Settlements and National Missions Minister Orit Strook, Economy and Industry Minister Nir Barkat, Diaspora Affairs and Social Equality Minister Amichai Chikli, Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz, and Ra'am party leader Mansour Abbas, among others, Israel Hayom reported.
The conference will include panels led by Israel Hayom journalists on various important topics, such as deadly crime in Arab society and the lack of law enforcement in open areas in the Negev and Galilee.
Joel Zilberman, CEO and founder of HaShomer HaChadash organization commented on the survey findings: "There is a consensus among all sectors of Israeli society on one issue - the state of personal security is at an all-time low. The desire for change exists on all sides, and all that remains is to lead joint efforts."
"There is a consensus among all sectors of Israeli society on one issue - the state of personal security is at an all-time low. The desire for change exists on all sides, and all that remains is to lead joint efforts."
Joel Zilberman
The survey was conducted by HaShomer HaChadash organization in collaboration with "Israel Hayom" and involved 511 respondents, including 456 Jewish citizens and 55 Arab citizens.