Nationwide Protests Erupt in Israel Over Deadly Violence in Arab Communities

Arab and Jewish citizens across Israel took to the streets on Tuesday in a nationwide protest against a deadly surge in violent crime, particularly in Arab communities. The demonstrations were organized by families of murder victims in collaboration with the Jewish-Arab movement, Standing Together.

The protests began in Jaffa’s Clock Square and spread to Jerusalem, Beer-Sheva, Lod, Tamra, and Jisr a-Zarqa, culminating in a major evening rally in Haifa. Organizers termed the day a "National Day of Disruption," with brief workplace walkouts and traffic blockades highlighting the urgency of their demands.

In Tel Aviv, demonstrators temporarily blocked southbound lanes of the Ayalon Highway, the city’s main traffic artery, causing significant disruption before reopening the road. In a separate protest, a woman in her 60s was detained for pouring red paint into a public fountain, symbolizing bloodshed. Similar incidents occurred in Haifa and Jerusalem, resulting in seven arrests.

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Jamal Zahalka, former lawmaker and chairman of The Higher Arab Monitoring Committee, emphasized the daily insecurity faced by Arab citizens. “Arab citizens suffer from a total lack of security,” he said, urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to dismiss National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir for failing to curb crime.

The protests follow a spike in violent incidents that have disproportionately affected Arab communities. According to organizers, 38 people have been killed in criminal incidents since January, part of a larger trend that saw 252 homicides in 2025 alone, attributed to organized crime, illegal weapons, and turf wars.

Activists and residents blame government inaction for allowing criminal networks to operate unchecked, while calling for urgent measures to disarm gangs, curb organized crime, and provide meaningful protection for vulnerable communities. Authorities have promised investigations, but demonstrators warn that more concrete action is required to prevent further bloodshed.

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