Arab communities have experienced a rise in violence in recent years, fueled mainly by organized crime, amid criticism of police inaction in dealing with the problem.

High unemployment rates, poverty and other social factors are also causes of the scourge, according to various studies.

Descendants of Palestinians who were not expelled from their land after the creation of the Jewish state in 1948 have since complained that they are treated as second-class citizens.

Arabs in Israel currently number 1.9 million people, almost 21 percent of the total population of this country.

A survey carried out last March revealed that 94 percent of Arabs living in Israel have suffered at some time from racism and discrimination of the Jewish majority.

According to research by the Center for Religion, Nation and State, 69 percent said they were subjected to racism and discrimination in public places, while 41 percent were in academic institutions.

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