Three more killed as wave of violence in Arab sector continues following murders over the weekend

Three people were killed overnight in the Druze town of Abu Snan in the lower Galilee in the latest incident of violence in the Israeli Arab sector. 

According to police reports, the three murdered men, and additional man who was seriously injured in the attack, were standing at a kiosk next to the street when a vehicle pulled up and one of the occupants opened fire on the men. 

Emergency medical technicians (EMT) who arrived at the scene were forced to pronounce two of the men dead at the scene, while the third victim was pronounced dead on arrival at the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya. The fourth man was also taken for medical treatment. His condition is said to be serious. 

Police later located a burned out vehicle, which is believed to have been used in the shooting. They are currently investigating the incident as a probable conflict between organized criminal groups. Due to suspicions of a possible revenge attack, police reinforced the area with additional units. 

The incident comes after another shooting attack in the town of Umm al-Fahm over the weekend. In that attack, after apparently shooting Subhi Ramadan (54), Ahmad Jabareen (25), who was riding his motorcycle, was also killed. Shortly after, a car attempted to ram Jabareen along with several people who had gathered to help him. Jabareen along with Subhi Ramadan (54) were pronounced dead at the scene, while a third man, 'Izz al-Din Mahameed (43) died of his wounds on Sunday morning. The exact details of the case are not clear, and police are still investigating the incident. 

The background to that incident appears to be a business dispute, according to police reports. At this point, three suspects have been arrested are are being detained while police attempt to investigate the incident. 

Following the shooting in Abu Snan, the Abraham Initiatives, a Jewish-Israeli and Arab-Israeli organization working for a peaceful and inclusive society for both Jews and Arabs in Israel, announced that 26 people have been killed in the Arab sector in Israel since the beginning of the year. 

This represents an increase in the number of deaths compared to the same time period over the last four years. Violent crime in the Arab sector has been increasing since 2021. Arab leaders have criticized the police response to the increase in crime as inadequate. They say that Israel police have not done enough to confront organized criminal groups within Arab society. 

Meanwhile, on Monday morning, Magen David Adom (MDA) medics provided treatment to a 40-year-old man in Abu Ghosh, west of Jerusalem, after he found unconscious with "severe penetrating injuries.” 

MDA medics administered "life-saving" first aid to stabilize him, after which he was transferred to Jerusalem's Shaare Zedek Medical Center. 

Police later arrested a 31-year-old on suspicion of stabbing the victim, according to police reports.