Mass arrests in Kafr Kanna spotlight escalating crime crisis in Palestinian communities in Israel

In the latest flashpoint of a deepening crime crisis gripping Palestinian communities inside Israel, police say they arrested 34 suspects overnight during raids in the northern town of Kafr Kanna, following a violent clash linked to a long-running family feud.

The arrests came after a grenade explosion and sustained gunfire late Saturday injured four people, including a young woman and her mother, both in moderate condition, and a man in his 30s who was seriously wounded. Local authorities say the violence erupted between rival clans, underscoring how internal disputes are increasingly spiraling into deadly confrontations.

Eyewitnesses described a dramatic scene, claiming a grenade was dropped from a drone before gunfire erupted — a detail that highlights the growing sophistication and lethality of weapons now circulating in Palestinian towns.

The violence in Kafr Kanna is part of a broader and alarming surge in crime within Israel’s Palestinian communities. According to local tallies, at least 57 Palestinian citizens of Israel have been killed so far in 2026, including four shot dead by police — nearly double the figure recorded at the same point last year. The spike follows 2025, the deadliest year on record, when 252 people were killed in Arab communities nationwide.

Israel’s police commissioner has described the situation as a national emergency. But Palestinian citizens say the state’s response remains largely rhetorical.

Attorney Hassan Jabareen, founder of the human rights organisation Adalah, argues the violence cannot be viewed in isolation.

“There is a lack of police enforcement, a lack of the rule of law,” Jabareen said. “What we see is a pattern: in Gaza, mass killing; in the West Bank, settlers killing Palestinians with impunity; and inside Israel, Palestinians left to kill Palestinians while the state looks away.”

Jabareen pointed to stark disparities in crime statistics to underscore what he described as structural neglect.

“In the West Bank, the rate of killings linked to internal crime is about one per 100,000 people. In Jewish Israeli society, it’s roughly the same. Jordan is similar. Globally, the average is five to six per 100,000. But among Palestinian citizens of Israel, the rate is nearly 13 per 100,000 — one of the highest in the world, rivaled only by some Latin American countries.”

Many Palestinian citizens cite a glaring gap in law enforcement outcomes, noting that homicide cases in Jewish communities are solved at far higher rates than those in Arab towns — a disparity that fuels anger, mistrust, and accusations of institutional discrimination.

Community activists say the crisis is rooted in years of inadequate policing, unchecked organised crime, easy access to illegal weapons, and widespread impunity. Family feuds often escalate into cycles of revenge, while criminal networks tied to extortion, loan-sharking, and racketeering have taken hold in towns and villages.

Frustration has spilled into the streets. Palestinian cities and towns across Israel have recently seen protests under the banner of “Disruption Day,” aimed at drawing attention to organised crime and what demonstrators describe as police inaction or complicity. A large rally was held in Tel Aviv. Protesters wore black, symbolising mourning and protest against what they see as state abandonment.

Demanding equal protection

Sara Abu Salah, a 27-year-old nurse from Sakhnin, said attending protests has become a necessity rather than a choice.

“I felt I had to be there — in Sakhnin and in Tel Aviv — so my voice is heard and something changes,” she said.

Abu Salah openly criticised the government, singling out the national security minister who oversees the police.

“How can someone with a history of incitement and extremism be responsible for protecting me?” she asked, accusing authorities of tolerating violence against Palestinian citizens to pressure them into leaving their communities.

In southern Israel, 24-year-old Muhannad Bin Bari from Tel as-Sabi said the violence has become personal.

“I’ve seen relatives and close friends shot at,” he said. “We hold the government and the police unequivocally responsible for what’s happening.”

Bin Bari accused senior officials of benefiting politically from the chaos.

“They are the reason for this crime wave. Instead of stopping it, they are pleased with the results,” he said.

Community leaders also point to the widespread availability of illegal weapons, many of which they claim originate from military stockpiles — an allegation the government disputes but has yet to fully address.

Jamal Zahalka, head of the High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens of Israel, accused the government of providing political cover that allows criminal gangs to operate freely.

“This government does not want to fight crime in Arab communities,” Zahalka said. “It enables a reality where violence and extortion flourish, while the number of victims continues to rise.”

For many Palestinian citizens of Israel, the surge in killings is no longer seen as a temporary crime wave, but as a profound failure of the state.

As violence continues and trust in law enforcement erodes, communities are demanding what they say has long been denied: equal protection, equal enforcement of the law, and equal citizenship.