The government approved Wednesday evening a combined program worth approximately NIS 500 million for the Shin Bet and police to combat crime in Arab society, with NIS 364.5 million allocated to the Shin Bet for a dedicated unit against smuggling and arms trafficking, the Prime Minister's Office announced.
The Prime Minister's Office confirmed Wednesday evening that the total cost of the integrated Shin Bet-police program to combat crime in Arab society is NIS 500 million, with NIS 364.5 million allocated to the Shin Bet for a dedicated unit against smuggling and arms trafficking and the remainder for a police national unit. This confirmation, issued at 22:39 Jerusalem, is the latest in a series of rapid updates throughout the evening, providing the official budget breakdown after earlier reports gave varying figures.
At 22:39 Jerusalem, The Zioneer first reported the government's approval of the Shin Bet's entry into the fight, initially with a figure of NIS 497 million for a dedicated unit, along with 130 new positions and a permanent annual budget of NIS 35 million. A subsequent Channel 12 flash, also at 22:39, confirmed final approval of the NIS 500 million program, noting that the move reversed the Shin Bet's past opposition, which had warned of a 'slippery slope' and exposure of sensitive capabilities. Further updates from the Prime Minister's Office and ministers Ben Gvir and Golan provided the official breakdown: NIS 364.5 million for the Shin Bet unit and NIS 132.4 million for the police national unit. The thread shows that the figures evolved from the initially reported NIS 497 million to the final NIS 500 million total, with the specific allocations clarified.
As The Zioneer reported on Monday, the funding was diverted from the previous government's Plan 550, and the total security allocation reaches NIS 567 million. The decision marks the first time the Shin Bet receives dedicated funding for combating crime in Arab society, signaling a major policy shift. The Shin Bet had previously opposed the move, as reported by The Zioneer on Tuesday.
The precise breakdown of the police unit's allocation beyond the NIS 132.4 million figure has not been separately detailed, and the timing of the Shin Bet unit's operational readiness remains unspecified.
8 developments
- StrongGovernment allocates first-ever funds to Shin Bet for combating Arab crime
- StrongGovernment to approve NIS 500 million for Shin Bet's fight against Arab organized crime
- DevelopingLegal opinion blocks Shin Bet from tackling Arab-Israeli crime surge
- DevelopingOpinion: Fighting crime in Arab communities is no job for the Shin Bet
Source and signal
- Internal intake