JERUSALEM/ ISTANBUL

A general strike swept Arab towns and cities inside Israel on Thursday, as the Arab community protested a surge in crime and what organizers described as persistent police inaction.

The one-day strike was called by the Higher Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens of Israel and the National Committee of Arab Local Authorities.

Commercial shops, schools and public institutions shut down across Arab towns in Israel, including areas inside the Green Line that demarcates the boundary between Israel and the West Bank before the 1967 Middle East war, according to an Anadolu correspondent.

On Wednesday, Higher Follow-Up Committee Chairman Jamal Zahalka urged members of the Arab community to fully commit to the strike and participate in a central demonstration in the northern city of Sakhnin, calling it a stand “for our right to life.”

The strike comes amid growing anger over rising violence in Arab towns, where dozens have been killed since the beginning of the year.

On Jan. 21, hundreds of Arab citizens protested outside the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, accusing the government of failing to confront crime and illegal weapons in their community.

According to Israel’s Maariv newspaper, violence in the Arab community has reached unprecedented levels, with 16 Arab citizens killed since the start of 2026, including 12 by gunfire.

In 2025, at least 252 Arab citizens were killed, marking an increase of around 10% compared to 2024, when 230 fatalities were recorded, according to Israel’s Channel 12.

Community leaders have long accused the Israeli authorities of discrimination, marginalization and a lack of serious law enforcement in Arab areas.

Arab lawmakers and local leaders have repeatedly criticized the police for failing to curb the spread of crime and illegal weapons, warning that continued neglect has led to the deaths of hundreds.

More broadly, Arab community leaders say the violence reflects a deeper pattern of systemic neglect, amid ongoing tensions affecting Palestinians both inside Israel and in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Arab citizens make up around 21% of Israel’s population of more than 10 million.