MK Ayman Odeh, UN chief Guterres to discuss Arab crime wave in New York meeting

Joint List Party Chairman MK Ayman Odeh is set to meet with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York to draw international attention to the escalating Arab crime wave within Israel. Odeh's office stated that the meeting aims to relay the urgency of the crisis, as he believes the Israeli government has been unresponsive to the issue.

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We will continue to fight in every arena, in Israel and abroad, until we eradicate crime and ensure personal security for every citizen.

"The Israeli government will close all doors to us in the fight against crime," Odeh said, expressing his intention to ensure the matter is placed on the international community's agenda. He emphasized that despite numerous meetings with Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and various protests, basic demands for security and freedom from criminal organizations and illegal weapons remain unmet.

In response to the ongoing crisis, the Israeli government announced a NIS 500 million allocation to the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) to combat Arab crime. Additionally, the Israel Police have begun confiscating vehicles from individuals with significant tax debts, aiming to disrupt the financial operations of those involved in criminal activities on Arab streets.

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The Israeli government will close all doors to us in the fight against crime. We will do everything to ensure that the issue is also on the international community’s agenda.

Odeh reiterated his commitment to eradicating crime and ensuring personal security for all citizens, stating, "We will continue to fight in every arena, in Israel and abroad, until we eradicate crime and ensure personal security for every citizen."

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Our demands are so basic: to live without criminal organizations and without illegal weapons. Is there a more justified demand than that?