Hadash MK Ayman Odeh has received death threats from criminal organizations, the front said in a statement on Saturday, amid a spike in political violence and murders in Arab-Palestinian community in Israel.
MK Ayman Odeh during the three-day “Mothers’ March for Life” from Haifa to Jerusalem with the families of victims of violence in the Arab community, August 2020. (Photo: Zo Haderech)
The head of the parliamentary Hadash-Ta’al alliance has been assigned a security detail after criminal groups issued death threats against him for denouncing rampant criminal violence in Arab communities, he revealed Saturday. “Our demonstrations have started to bother the criminal organizations. The formula is clear — it’s either our community or the criminal groups, and we will defeat them,” MK Odeh told Channel 12 news. “I again appeal to law enforcement and the government: Eradicate crime in Arab society because you are not doing enough,” the lawmaker added. Odeh said he was informed of the threats on his life by the Knesset Guard and will now be closely guarded by security.
“Criminal organizations in Arab society were given the green light by government inaction to run amok and commit murder, so much so they are no emboldened to threaten Knesset members who speak out against them,” read a statement from Hadash released on Saturday. “Only in a country that does not respect itself will there arise a situation where elected officials are threatened and even murdered by criminals. All of Hadash stand by Odeh, and will not surrender to criminal organizations or the racist government that encourages them. We will continue to fight fearlessly for the right to live with dignity,” the statement added.
Since the beginning of the year, more than 160 people have been killed in the Arab community. The last two victims are Abdelrahman Kashua, director of the town hall of Tira, and Ghazi Saab, a candidate in the municipal elections in Abu Snan. During the same time frame last year, 68 were killed.
Related: https://maki.org.il/en/?p=31153
