Two Palestinian citizens of Israel killed in separate shootings

Two Palestinian citizens of Israel were killed in two separate shootings amid an ongoing crime wave within Israel's Palestinian community.

Yazen Abu Salah from the Druze village of Ein al-Asad in northern Israel died on Saturday after being shot in a bar in Rosh Pina on Friday, local media reported.

According to reports, three suspects from the Israeli city of Tuba-Zangariyye have now been arrested in connection with the crime.

The attack is said to be linked to a gang rivalry, according to Israeli news channel Channel 12 reported that guests confirmed that the shooting was a criminal attack after initially suspecting a terrorist attack.

Mohammed Sheikh al-Eid was fatally shot later on Sunday while driving in the southern Israeli city of Rahat.

After he was critically injured, his vehicle collided with a minibus.

The Times of Israel reported that Israeli police suspect that the shooting in al-Eid is linked to an ongoing feud between the victim's family and a rival family, the Abu Latifs, in which eight people have already died.

Various Palestinian reports indicate that, in addition to widespread discrimination and increasing political repression of Palestinian citizens by the Israeli government, there has also been a worrying increase in the number of Palestinian victims of organized crime.

Palestinian politicians and human rights groups criticize the Israeli police, saying they have been ineffective in fighting these criminal organizations and have largely neglected the escalating violence.

Druze communities face increasing challenges, including organized crime, home demolitions and various forms of discrimination.

Recently, the murder rate in Druze communities has increased sharply, particularly in areas such as Yarka, Isfiya, Abu Snan and others.

According to an Israeli magazine +972In the village of Isfiya alone, five murders occurred between April 12 and May 12, with the bodies of two victims only discovered long after their abduction.

In response, local journalists and activists reported that residents were protesting both rising violent crime and perceived police inaction in combating these problems.

The perceived inaction and lack of a forceful response from law enforcement authorities have increased human rights groups' concerns about security and justice.

Palestinian citizens of Israel, who make up more than 20 percent of the population, have repeatedly called for more resources as the murder rate in their communities has reached unprecedented levels.