Israel allocates over NIS 500 million for Shin Bet to combat crime in Arab sector

Israel's security agency, the Shin Bet, will receive a dedicated budget of NIS 567 million to combat rising crime in the Arab sector, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced Monday. The funding marks a significant shift in strategy, empowering the Shin Bet to directly engage in domestic law enforcement against criminal organizations.

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Tremendous news for the citizens of Israel, bitter news for the crime organizations.

This budget allocation is a reallocation from the "550 Plan," a previous government initiative. Social Equality Minister May Golan emphasized that this move corrects what she described as "billions of shekels transferred without oversight or control" under the prior "Bennett-Abbas" government, suggesting that public funds had been improperly channeled. Golan stated that the new allocation redirects resources towards a "real war against crime organizations."

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After the failed former head of the Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, dug his heels in to prevent the Shin Bet from entering the fight against Arab crime, the excellent new Shin Bet chief, David Zini, has mobilized for the cause.

Ben-Gvir expressed strong support for the decision, calling it "tremendous news for the citizens of Israel, bitter news for the crime organizations." He credited the "excellent new Shin Bet chief, David Zini," for mobilizing the agency for this cause, contrasting this with the "failed former head of the Shin Bet, Ronen Bar," who he claimed had resisted the agency's involvement. The minister asserted that this initiative would lead an "uncompromising struggle against the murderous crime and terror organizations in the Arab sector."

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After fighting to expose the truth about the 'Takadum' plan of the Bennett-Abbas government - under which billions of shekels were transferred without oversight or control, and extensive public funds actually leaked to crime organizations - I am pleased that I managed, together with Prime Minister Netanyahu and my colleague Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, to lead a historic move that corrects this distortion.

The government is expected to formally approve the decision at an upcoming cabinet meeting. This dedicated budget and the Shin Bet's expanded role signal a heightened focus on addressing what is termed a "national plague" that has been neglected for decades.

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Instead of funneling more funds without control, we are redirecting resources to a real war against crime organizations and restoring security to the citizens of Israel, together with the Shin Bet led by David Zini and the Israel Police - in order to lead an uncompromising struggle against the murderous crime and terror organizations in the Arab sector.