Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Monday that the ministry would release funds designated for Arab towns, which had previously been frozen, justifying the freeze by claiming it supported crime, a statement that angered local council leaders in these towns as well as some Arab and Jewish lawmakers. Smotrich, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government which includes nationalist and religious parties, stated earlier this month that some funds allocated to Arab town councils were issued by the previous government for political purposes and could end up in the hands of "criminal and terrorist elements."
Local councils from Arab towns in Israel organized a strike last week to protest this decision, and prominent Arab figures participated in demonstrations outside government offices. The Higher Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens in Israel accused Smotrich of racism. In a statement released on Monday, Smotrich appeared to retract his stance, stating that a mechanism had been established to monitor the transfer of funds to Arab towns. He said, "We prevent criminal organizations from seizing budgets allocated for the (town) authorities."
Arabs make up about 20 percent of Israel's population. Arab towns are experiencing disproportionately high crime rates compared to the general population. At least 157 Arabs have been killed in Israel since January, more than double the number during the same period last year, marking the highest toll since 2014.
