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Bir al-Maksur, Israel – A 41-year-old man was shot and killed overnight Sunday in the northern Bedouin town of Bir al-Maksur, as Israel’s Arab community continues to face an unprecedented wave of lethal violence.
According to Hebrew media reports, an unidentified assailant entered the home of Ali Hujirat and shot him with a silenced pistol while he was sleeping. His four children, who were in the house at the time, raised the alarm, prompting emergency services to respond.
Magen David Adom paramedics found Hujirat unconscious with multiple gunshot wounds. Despite their efforts to resuscitate him, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police have launched an investigation and are searching for suspects. Authorities have ruled out terrorism as a motive but have yet to provide any leads on the perpetrator.
The killing of Hujirat marks another fatal incident in the ongoing crime crisis plaguing Israel’s Arab community. Just hours earlier, 27-year-old Nour al-Din Abdelqader was shot dead in the northern town of Yafa an-Naseriyye, near Nazareth.
Rising Homicide Rate Sparks Concern
According to the Abraham Initiatives, an anti-violence advocacy group, Hujirat’s death brings the number of homicides in the Arab community to 55 since the start of the year, with 48 involving firearms.
The latest figures highlight the persistent surge in violent crime that has engulfed Arab society in recent years. Police data indicate that in both 2023 and 2024, over 200 people were murdered in the Arab sector annually.
Many community leaders attribute the soaring crime rates to law enforcement’s failure to crack down on organized crime and illegal firearms.
Critics argue that authorities have been slow to act and that the vast majority of murder cases remain unsolved. According to the Abraham Initiatives’ latest report, only 15 percent of homicides in the Arab community were solved last year.
Government’s Response Under Scrutiny
Israel Police Chief Daniel Levy, who took office six months ago, has pledged to combat the violence. However, reports indicate that since his appointment, 135 homicides have taken place in the Arab sector—the highest ever recorded under a single police chief within such a short period.
During a recent summit in Nazareth, Levy reiterated his commitment to tackling the crisis but acknowledged the severity of the situation. Meanwhile, the Israeli government has faced mounting criticism for its handling of crime in Arab society.
The situation worsened in 2023 when then-National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir dismantled a crime-fighting plan that had been developed with Arab community leaders.
His controversial policies were widely blamed for exacerbating the crisis. Ben Gvir resigned earlier this year amid political turmoil following the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal.
In January, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government temporarily appointed Tourism Minister Haim Katz to oversee the National Security Ministry.
However, many Arab leaders remain skeptical about whether the new leadership will effectively address the escalating violence.
With crime rates continuing to rise and public trust in law enforcement eroding, families in Israel’s Arab community are left fearing for their safety, as fatal shootings become an almost daily occurrence.