by Dan Shueftan

If we do not want anarchy and tribalism to undermine the quality of life in Israel, we need to transform the police force, create a responsible legal system, and urge the government to provide political backing and appropriate budgeting.

If we do not want anarchy and tribalism to undermine the quality of life in Israel, we need to act swiftly. This is a goal of utmost national importance, and to achieve it, we need a transformed police force, a responsible legal system, and a government that provides political backing and appropriate budgeting.

The health and economic crisis has led to the acceptance of behaviors within tribal sectors that would never be accepted in a multicultural society, such as oppression of women, polygamy, denying children fundamental education rights, and violent politics.

Things have gotten out of hand. For example, the ultra-Orthodox community has opened its schools and holds mass gatherings in direct violation of the law. Extremists among them hold demonstrations at the entrance of Jerusalem, terrorize ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods, forbid men and women to interact in public, and attack anyone who dares to serve in the IDF.

Arabs hold mass weddings and are responsible for double the rate of coronavirus infections comparable to their percentage of the population. The government eventually had no choice but to come to terms with the Arab sector illegally taking over its lands in the Negev. The crime rate in this sector is staggering. Druze rioters can just violently snatch a body from a hospital to hold a mass funeral and attack an IDF ambulance carrying wounded Syrians to receive medical treatment in Israel.

Armed Bedouins are raging in the south, stealing military equipment from IDF firing ranges, dealing drugs, and engaging in illegal smuggling. According to the Welfare and Social Services Ministry, about 30% of Bedouin families in the south lead a polygamous lifestyle. Bedouin politician Talab Abu Arar, who has two wives, served as a member of Knesset.

The police cannot possibly deal with such complex issues. It is not efficient enough, its budget is low, and it does not possess the level of public trust needed to tackle these problems.

The legal system isn't taking the necessary steps to deal with the problems either. The judges come up with the most ridiculous punishments for criminals in the hope of rehabilitating them. It all comes at the expense of protecting law enforcement agencies.

The judges' worldview affects their interpretation of the law. Thus, we've seen a streak of puzzling statements to justify the High Court's decision to abandon the government's plan to deport tens of thousands of African migrants who are in Israel illegally.

Judges do not understand that criminals' well-being should be at the bottom of their priorities list right now. The dangerous and potentially lethal overcrowding of hospitals and schools should surely precede that.

The government cannot evade its responsibility either. It should provide the police with much larger resources and support law enforcement despite reactions in the fringe sectors. The government should avoid embezzlement under the auspices of the Arrangements Law, which in a way authorizes the taking over of private land.