The cabinet approved a plan that will result in the construction of ten new police stations in Arab municipalities in addition to refurbishing ten existing ones. In addition, 2,600 new recruits will be added to Israel Police, all part of a plan to reduce crime and increase law-enforcement in Arab municipalities.

The multi-year plan begins immediately and continues to 2020, during which time a major focus is being placed on boosting law-enforcement in the Israeli Arab sector. Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan called the move “no less than historic” while Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu stressed the need for “equality in law-enforcement”.

The plan calls for adding 2,600 policepersons to Arab and mixed municipalities to give a sharp boost to law-enforcement efforts, at a cost of NIS 2 billion. 500 new policepersons will be added in 2016 at a cost of NIS 100 million which will come from the Interior Ministry budget. An addition 500 will be added in 2017.

The police stations that will be refurbished include Um al-Fahm, Tira, Nazareth, Taibeh, Misgav, Shfaram, Carmiel, Migdal HaEmek, Kafr Kassem and Rahat.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)