It's too early to tell what the impact of the recent police crackdown on protection rackets in the north will be. This depends, among other things, on the decisions made by the State Attorney's Office and the courts – the next phase of law enforcement. That said, the effort undertaken by the police shows that it has been attentive to the public constraints and is conscious of the public expecting it to deliver on the most pressing problems without having to wait for its personnel shortage to be addressed.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
Such conduct also demonstrates a willingness to enter the fray and be proactive on the part of the police, which has kept its vitality despite the intense scrutiny it has come under. To maximize the effect of this new drive, it must see them as part of a larger national context, a systematic and comprehensive effort to eradicate crime and restore law and order.
Just six months ago, on the eve of the election, polls showed that crime and personal security have become a high-priority issue for voters and that they expected the government to ascribe it the same importance as other matters such as the cost of living.
A poll conducted by the Institute for National Security Studies showed that some 60% of Israelis feel that their personal security has dropped. They also showed concern over being physically harmed due to reckless driving on the road and being caught in the crossfire of wars between members of the underworld.
Of course, the rise in violent crime in the Arab community in recent months has only exacerbated this overall perception, and the fact that the country has been preoccupied with other matters has surely not helped.
Violent crime and the erosion of law and order have major adverse effects on the national level and on the individual, to the point that average Israelis cannot lead a normal life and Israel's image is tarnished. It also creates a basis to allege that Israel is a country that deliberately discriminates and feeds the notion that the police should be replaced with an alternative mechanism.
The steps that have been taken so far to empower the police and give it more public backing - as well as the increase in funding - are all important but they are not enough. In order to successfully deal with this challenge it is crucial that we have a multi-agency process on a national level that would incorporate input from all the relevant state bodies.
To do this, other ministers must step up to the plate: the prime minister as well as the justice, defense finance, and interior ministers. We must create a holistic program that is both comprehensive and systematic, which would have all the relevant officials committed to this effort. This would include clear benchmarks and timetables to achieve them. It should also be presented to the general public and its progress should be transparent. This is how you restore personal security and win back the trust of Israelis.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
