Israel’s government is expected to debate on Tuesday a proposal to transfer NIS 568 million (approximately $154 million) from the country’s five-year development plan for Arab communities to the Shin Bet, Israel Police, and other agencies involved in combating organized crime.

According to the proposal, the funding would be used to strengthen intelligence gathering and criminal investigations targeting organized crime, illegal weapons trafficking, smuggling, extortion, and the growing influence of criminal organizations in Arab communities. The plan also calls for expanding the capabilities of Lahav 433, the Israel Police’s national anti-crime unit, and investing in new technological tools.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Minister May Golan have backed the proposal, arguing that additional resources are needed to combat the surge in violent crime and the high number of unsolved murders in Israel’s Arab communities.

The government said the Shin Bet would not replace the Israel Police in routine criminal investigations, but would become involved only in cases with national security implications, particularly those involving illegal weapons trafficking.

The proposal has drawn opposition from the Mossawa Center, an advocacy organization representing Arab citizens of Israel, which has urged Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to block the measure. The organization said it is considering legal action if the proposal is approved.

The Mossawa Center argues that the money was originally designated to reduce economic and social disparities through investments in education, employment, transportation, infrastructure, and local development. It warned that diverting those funds to security agencies could undermine those goals and weaken long-term efforts to reduce crime.

The organization also noted that approximately NIS 750 million remains available under a separate government program specifically designated for combating crime in Arab communities, arguing that those funds should be used instead.

The proposal has also reignited debate over expanding the Shin Bet’s role into areas traditionally handled by the police, with critics raising legal and civil liberties concerns and supporters arguing that the growing threat posed by organized crime and illegal weapons requires additional security resources.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)