Citing years of police indifference and a state policy that has exacerbated gun violence and organized crime among Palestinians in Israel, members of the community consider boycott as a new tactic.
By Suha Arraf
Chairman of the Joint List, MK Ayman Odeh, at the protest against gun violence and organized crime in Palestinian communities in Israel, October 3, 2019. (Courtesy of the Joint List)
More than 20,000 Palestinian citizens of Israel protested against gun violence on Thursday, in the northern Galilee town of Majd al-Krum. Demonstrators called out Israeli police for failing to do their job in fighting organized crime in Palestinian communities in Israel.
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The protest came in response to the murder of two brothers, Ahmad and Khalil Mana’, who were killed in a brawl in Majd al-Krum earlier this week. The murder took place in broad daylight, as children were leaving a nearby school, not far from the local police station. The third victim, Mohammad Saba’, died of his wounds on Thursday.
The demonstration coincided with a general strike in Palestinian cities and towns inside Israel over the same grievances. Both actions were organized as part of a ‘state of emergency’ declared by the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee, an umbrella organization that represents the country’s Palestinian citizens, together with the Joint List party and the mayor of Majd al-Krum, Salim Salibi.
Since the start of the year, 72 Palestinian citizens of Israel have fallen victim to gun violence and organized crime in the community. In search of new ways to confront this epidemic, Palestinian clerics, mayors and political representatives called on the Palestinian community to boycott families and businesses associated with arms dealers and gun violence suspects. Some even urged members of the community to boycott weddings and funerals of those implicated in gun violence.
Some lawyers joined the boycott, pledging not to represent clients suspected of gun violence from now on. “One rotten apple can spoil the barrel,” said attorney Noreen Nashef from the city of Taybeh in central Israel. “We all need to play a part in this struggle against violence. As lawyers, we must lead by example. We have a moral part to play, and it is just as much our responsibility as that of the politicians.”
Criminal attorney Maram Hamoud from the village of Deir Hanna in the north wrote in a Facebook post: “It is a matter of principle. It is the moral and ethical thing to do, after realizing that Israel has an intentional policy, dictated by the Defense Ministry and the police, to fuel the flames and let the violence spread in Palestinian towns and cities.”
“Israeli police easily release those suspected of holding [illegal] arms. Even in interrogations, police do not take their job seriously, sometimes purposefully sabotaging an investigation,” added Hamoud. “The criminals walk free among us with full backing from police. Most of them are recruited as informants for the state’s intelligence.”
“The internal security service surveils our every move, so how likely is it that they still cannot figure out who the criminals are?” asked Hamoud. “In Deir Hanna, we know who the shooters are, how is it possible that police have not figured it out yet? They have not even brought anyone in for questioning.”
Hamoud believes this is a political strategy the state is implementing to push Palestinian citizens toward despair, so that they leave the country of their own will. “They legitimize this violence against us by claiming we are dangerous criminals,” he added.
