A string of recent homicides, along with a call to action on Twitter, prompted police to recruit hundreds of new officers to combat growing violence in Israel's Arab communities.
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Supporters of the digital campaign, known as #ArabLivesMatter, criticized authorities' lack of initiative in extending resources to under-serviced Arab sectors.
Public Security Minister Omer Barlev issued a statement announcing authorities would step up efforts in the coming weeks. He detailed 1,100 police officers will be recruited for the purpose of stopping community crime and said police facilities will be reinforced.
Barlev additionally confirmed that the Israel Security Agency, more commonly knows as the Shin Bet, will assist in securing the areas.
The Shin Bet is normally involved in counterterrorism operations, but Channel 12 News reported investigations are underway on avenues that would permit the agency's participation.
A report conducted by the Abraham Initiatives nonprofit found 89 members of the Arab and Druze communities were killed in Israel during 2021. This year's total could potentially surpass last year's count of 96 deaths, the highest recently recorded.
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On Tuesday, a member of the Arab community was killed in the Negev desert, marking the third such death from gun violence in two days.
In February, the government approved a $45 million project to fight crime in the Arab sector and bolster the sense of personal security in Arab towns.
A Knesset report from 2020 found that around 400,000 illegal weapons are in Israel, with around 45,000 in Arab communities.
i24NEWS contributed to this report
