The government on Sunday approved legislation seeking to expand the power of the Israel Police to operate in the Arab sector, allowing them to carry out residential searches without a warrant.
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The move is part of the government's efforts to curb the surge in violent crimes in the Arab Israeli community, which on Monday morning claimed its 100th victim.
Backed by Justice Minister Gideon Sa'ar, the bill allows police officers to freely inspect a home if they think they can find a suspect or evidence related to a serious crime.
Several ministers expressed reservations about the measure prompting Defense Minister Benny Gantz to stress it was a temporary one.
"We need to make sure that we do not stray over to other issues," Gantz said.
The controversial measure was deemed necessary as part of law enforcement attempts to collect illegal weapons – the large number of which is believed to be fueling much of the gang violence seen in recent months.
During the weekly cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett sounded the alarm about the endemic violence in the Arab sector, saying, "We are losing the country."
As part of the efforts to curb the violence, Bennett announced last month that the Israel Security Agency, more commonly known as the Shin Bet, will lend its expertise to the police on the matter.
Attorney General Avichai Mandelbilt opposed the measure, saying that the Shin Bet did not have the authority to fight crime in the Arab community.
He added that its prerogatives were only related to terrorism or to crimes threatening national security.
Agency officials have also voiced reservations about the move.
On Monday, the government announced that as part of its five-year plan to boost the Arab sector's social and economic development, special programs would be set up to fight violence and advance welfare issues.
The plan calls for the appropriation of 615 million shekels ($190 million) in favor of social welfare in the Arab sector between 2022 and 2026.
Some NIS 100 million ($31 million) will be appropriated to dealing with domestic violence in the Arab community, where "honor killings" are still considered a threat to women.
"This is an important, historic plan that shines a spotlight at a part of society that has been neglected," said Welfare Services Minister Meir Cohen, adding that his ministry seeks to deal with all the major issues plaguing the Arab community, including violence, poverty, domestic violence, and nutrition insecurity.
"This plan has to be put in motion regardless of who is leading the government," he noted. "I'm glad we're the once starting it."
Social Equality Minister Meirav Cohen also called the five-year plan "historic," saying that it would be two-pronged: "On the one hand, we are investing in a host of issues seeking to create hope and equal opportunity that would benefit Israeli society as a whole in the long run; while on the other hand we are pushing a series of steps and plans seeking to deal with the most pressing daily issues in the Arab sector."
The plan, she stressed, "redefines national priorities and seeks to promote social equality in Israel. … The plan's success will lead to a more just, equal Israeli society and bolster the shared Israeli narrative."
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Ra'am leader Mansour Abbas said the plan was comprehensive and relevant to major issues in Arab society, such as welfare, education and higher education, high-tech, housing, infrastructure, transportation, shoring up local authorities, developing agriculture, eradicating violence and crime, and promoting culture and sports.
Ra'am, he added, "expect all government ministries to cooperate [with the plan], and do everything in their power as true partners, to complete its outline even before the state budget is approved.
The Knesset is expected to vote on the state budget next month.
i24NEWS contributed to this report.
