Instead of backing the fight against crime: Arab authorities petition the High Court

The National Committee of Arab Local Authority Heads, the Association for Civil Rights, and other organizations petitioned the High Court of Justice today against Minister May Golan and the government, demanding the cancellation of the government decision involving the Shin Bet in the fight against crime in Arab society. The petitioners request an interim injunction to freeze the move, arguing that the Shin Bet is not authorized to handle civilian matters, and that the decision harms the principle of equality and discriminates against Arab citizens. The government, led by Netanyahu, Golan, and Ben Gvir, views crime in the Arab sector as terrorism and explains that regular police tools are insufficient.

The National Committee of Arab Local Authority Heads, together with the Association for Civil Rights and other organizations, petitioned the High Court of Justice today (Sunday) against Minister May Golan and the government, demanding the cancellation of the government decision involving the Shin Bet in the fight against crime in Arab society. The petitioners request an interim injunction to freeze the implementation of the decision and to stop the cuts to the five-year plan, arguing that the Shin Bet is not authorized to handle civilian matters, and that this harms human rights, violates the principle of equality, and discriminates against Arab citizens compared to the rest of the population. Behind the government decision, signed by Prime Minister Netanyahu, Minister Golan, and Minister Ben Gvir, stands a new strategic approach: ceasing to treat crime in the Arab sector as a regular criminal event, and shifting to defining it as outright terrorism. The government explains that the tools available to the police in a regular criminal process are limited and insufficient to eradicate crime organizations, while the war on terrorism has a powerful operational and intelligence toolbox that only the Shin Bet knows how to operate. The government approved the plan to bring the Shin Bet into the fight against crime, which includes diverting about 497 million shekels from the 550 five-year plan. Of this, about 364.5 million shekels will be allocated to the Shin Bet to establish a dedicated unit to combat smuggling and arms trafficking, and about 132.4 million shekels will be transferred to the Israel Police to establish a dedicated national unit. Starting in 2026, 130 new manpower positions will be added to the Shin Bet, along with a permanent budget of 35 million shekels annually.