(New York Times) Diaa Hadid - Israel is seeking to recruit more Arab Muslims into its police force. Many would work in Arab cities and towns, where violence is wreaking havoc in their communities. Some 60% of Israel's murders occurred in Arab communities, triple the Arab proportion of the population, along with more than 40% of traffic accidents. Public security minister Gilad Erdan has promised to open 12 new police stations. (There are 7 in such areas now.) Alongside the recruitment drive, Jamal Hakroush, a long-serving Muslim officer, was promoted to deputy commissioner, the second-highest rank on the force. He said that since the recruitment initiative was announced in April, about 700 Arabs have applied to the police force and about 200 were expected to make it. A broader Israeli government program will invest $3.8 billion in infrastructure, education, housing and other services in Arab communities in an effort to better integrate the residents into society.
2016-09-05 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive