Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement expressing his shock over the murder of five men in the Arab town of Yafa an-Naseriyye, located in the Galilee outside of Nazareth on Thursday in what the police, at this time, say may have been crime related and not a terror attack.
“I was shocked by the terrible murder near Nazareth. We are determined to stop this chain of murders,” said Netanyahu.
The Prime Minister said his government will do so “not only by reinforcing the police” but also with the aid of the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency). “I am determined to bring in the ISA to assist the Israel Police against these criminals and the crime organizations, and these murders.”
Netanyahu added that earlier this week he held a series of meetings on this issue with security, legal and police officials and that he intends to continue the meeting next week and to “achieve rapid results.”
Soon after the shootings, Israel’s Minister of National Security visited the site of the shooting and said that he would also like to see the Shin Bet take part in Israel’s ongoing “war” on violent crime in its Arab communities.
