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Shooting, explosives, sleepless nights: Witnesses recount life amid rampant crime in Arab society

Sara Abu Siam from Lod says fear of violence now defines daily life for Arab youth in Israel, as crime surges and police response lags behind.

Twenty-two-year-old Sara Abu Siam, from Lod, said this week that her home no longer feels like a safe space as criminal violence continues to plague Arab society in Israel. Her friend and neighbor, a grocery store owner and community volunteer, was murdered by masked gunmen while working in his store – a case that remains unsolved.

Abu Siam, an educator and former participant in AJEEC-NISPED’s Gap Year program, said the fear of becoming a target has become part of daily life.

“He was my neighbor and my scout leader,” she said. “We were united by our desire to give back to the community. He was murdered for no clear reason, and to this day, no one knows why. It was a complete shock.”

Abu Siam described an atmosphere of deepening fear in Lod and other Arab communities, where killings are no longer limited to criminal figures.

“The situation has changed. It’s no longer about being hit by a stray bullet. Today, even if I accidentally walk into the wrong neighborhood, I could become a suspect – or worse,” she said. “Even being in your own home is frightening. Criminals can walk in or plant an explosive in your car. Our homes are no longer our protection.”

She warned that this level of violence is becoming normalized among youth, with potentially long-term consequences. “My fear is that young people will get used to this reality and lose the ability to be shocked,” she said. “I feel a responsibility to speak out and to guide them toward a better path.”

Abu Siam also criticized law enforcement for failing to stop the wave of killings. “When a Jewish person is murdered, the police find the killer within hours. When it happens in Arab communities, there’s hardly any investigative effort. There is no deterrence. Murderers act without fear.”

Kamal Ryan, founder and CEO of the Aman Center in Kafr Kassem, lost his son to gun violence and said he now sees more and more families grieving their children. “My son, who was full of life and dreams, was murdered in cold blood,” Ryan said. “There was no justification for taking his life. Crime here didn’t appear overnight– it’s the result of years of neglect.”

ACCORDING TO Ryan, systemic failures in education, employment, and opportunity have created a breeding ground for crime. “Our youth are exposed to weapons and explosives because they don’t have real alternatives. The state knows this but continues to do too little,” he said. He called for a stronger police presence on the ground.

“We need a police force that is proactive, not reactive. One that doesn’t wait until after blood is spilled. Without a change in approach, we’ll keep seeing headlines like these.”

A deadly trend

According to the Abraham Initiatives, 156 Arab citizens have been killed in crime-related incidents since the beginning of 2025, marking a 13% increase compared to the same period last year. Half of the victims were young people. In 2024, the homicide rate among Arab citizens was more than 14 times higher than among Jews, with 220 killings compared to 58. In 2023, a record 244 Arab citizens were killed, the highest annual figure ever recorded.

Shootings are no longer the only threat. Explosives have become a frequent method in attacks, even in residential areas. Families report being caught in cycles of extortion, revenge, and fear. Despite repeated calls for action, many community leaders argue that the state response remains inadequate.

At AJEEC-NISPED, where Abu Siam trained and later served as a coordinator, co-CEOs Ilan Amit and Suleiman Alamor warned that without systemic investment, the situation will deteriorate further. “When young people live under the shadow of fear and violence, it is our responsibility to provide another path,” said Alamor. “There are practical solutions that could be implemented immediately – what’s lacking is the political will.”

Amit added: “You can’t ask young people to dream when they’re fearing for their lives.”

The Abraham Initiatives echoed that concern in a statement: “The government must wake up. Arab lives are not worthless. The continued rise in murders is not a mistake; it is the outcome of a failed policy.”