Arab local authority heads in the Negev call for a three-month truce and a halt to violence and gunfire
The forum of Arab local authority heads in the Negev called for a three-month truce and a cessation of gunfire and attacks, amid escalating violence and crime in Rahat and Arab towns, demanding that the police take responsibility.
The forum of Arab local authority heads in the Negev called for a three-month truce and a halt to gunfire and attacks, amid escalating violence and crime in Rahat and Arab towns. This came in a statement issued after a meeting held by the forum with the participation of a number of Arab lawmakers, reconciliation elders, and religious and community leaders from Rahat and Arab towns in the Negev, to discuss the serious developments and repercussions of the escalating violence and attacks on property and homes. The participants emphasized the central status of the city of Rahat as the capital of the Arab community in the Negev and its largest town, stressing that maintaining its security and stability is a collective responsibility, and that the repercussions of violence are not limited to the city's borders but affect the entire Arab community. The statement stressed that Rahat is not the private property of any party or faction, but rather a home for all its residents, calling for prioritizing the public interest and preserving the social fabric. A number of positions and recommendations were put forward, foremost among them the call to declare a truce during which all forms of gunfire, attacks, and escalation would cease, and to make way for reconciliation figures and dignitaries to address existing disputes and reach solutions that preserve rights and civil peace.