To what extent can religious leaders play a role in countering organized crime in Arab communities in Israel? What are the types of intervention strategies being deployed by these religious leaders to engage communities in their efforts? What are the challenges facing religious leaders in their efforts to counter the effects of organized crime in their communities?

A new article in Religions by SIS Professor and Chair of the Said Abdul Aziz for Peace and Conflict Resolution Mohammed Abu-Nimer explores these questions and more, analyzing the rise of organized crime and violence within the Palestinian community in Israel over the past two decades, and how community-based initiatives, especially faith-based ones, can counter such violence.

Abu-Nimer begins by examining the internal fragmentation of the community, Israeli policies that exacerbated these divisions, and the impact of these factors on the surge in criminal activity, and then analyzes community responses, highlighting faith-based initiatives like the Committee for Spreading Peace (CSP) led by Sheikh Raed Salah. This initiative, although limited in resources, seeks to address the cycle of violence through prevention, mediation, and collaboration with local authorities in Israel. However, the CSP faces significant challenges, including distrust in Israeli government efforts and the deep-rooted involvement of criminal organizations in local politics.

Abu-Nimer concludes in the article that while initiatives like CSP offer hope, a more comprehensive and collaborative approach is needed to effectively combat organized crime and restore community cohesion. Such approaches will also have implications for the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and possible future community-based initiatives.

Read the full article here.