Retired Superintendent Aryeh Amit, former commander of the Jerusalem District Police, launched a scathing attack on Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, regarding the escalating state of violence in Arab society.
Amit expressed his frustration, stating, "If anyone thinks that it is possible to combat crime with a prime minister who is not in control, appointing a reckless and terrorizing figure to oversee the police on behalf of the government, he is living in a fantasy world."
He elaborated, "The problem began with the distinctions made by the Prime Minister between Jewish, Arab, and Druze crime families. We are one country, and police treatment should be equal for all. The decision to appoint a superintendent to be solely responsible for handling Arab crime is nonsensical. This superintendent is like an irritant to the district commanders; they will not cooperate with him. He lacks the necessary strength and expertise to assist in this battle."
Speaking specifically about Minister Ben Gvir, Amit criticized, "Yoav Segalovich [Ben Gvir’s predecessor] previously established a comprehensive system for addressing all issues collectively and achieved great results. Then this inexperienced individual arrived, dismantled everything that came before him, and arrogantly assumed he knew everything about the fight against crime. He talks grandiosely about securing 6 billion NIS but didn't even procure a billion. He clearly has no understanding of policing and crime-fighting. We must first allow the police to utilize advanced surveillance equipment, but that too was denied to them with unparalleled ineptitude."
158 Arab citizens got killed since the beginning of the year.
— Nir (@justoldmanhere) August 22, 2023
You (Ben Gvir & our government) are responsible, they Must GO with our worst Prime Minister, Bibi. https://t.co/4izPhXShhd
He also condemned the Prime Minister's actions, saying, "The prime minister weakened the police, undermining their dignity and respect, and then paraded the claim of 'we defeated the Jewish crime families.' Does he even know what's transpiring in the south? The police had previously done an exemplary job handling crime families. So now there are no Jewish crime families? They exist, and Jews suffer from Arab crime families more than people comprehend, including through extortion fees and an increase in car thefts."
Amit concluded with palpable anger, "When there is a prime minister who, during previous elections, claimed 'the Arabs are flocking to the polling stations,' the situation is bound to deteriorate," accusing Netanyahu of racism.
🚨Ex Israel Police Commish Moshe Karadi says Itamar Ben Gvir, Netanyahu's Minister of National Security, "is trying to demolish the entire police service." Predecessor Aryeh Amit: "He won't calm down until blood's spilled on the streets. He's a coward & Netanyahu's also coward." pic.twitter.com/xSpaQJfBpa
— Noga Tarnopolsky × ×’×” ×˜×¨× ×•×¤×•×œ×¡×§×™ نوغا ترنوبولسكي💙 (@NTarnopolsky) March 14, 2023
He further added, "The police invested less in the Arab sector than in the Jewish one, and this is an unprecedented strategic mistake. While it's true that many murders are committed against Arabs, Jews suffer significantly as well. When Netanyahu places a person in charge of the police who knows nothing but how to create chaos and send his settlement allies to the hills, don't expect any serious efforts to be made in addressing the issue."
