Israel Police arrested 15 suspects involved in violence, shootings, protection rackets and money laundering in a largescale operation involving over 350 officers, special units and Border Police.
The operation targeted criminal organizations in the Arab sector. Officers raided 63 homes in 13 villages, including Yarka, Shfar'am and Abu Snan.
Large amounts of cash, weapons and military equipment were seized during the operation. In one of the houses, the wife of one of the suspects hid NIS 50,000 in her bra.
Over 88 Arabs have been killed in violence in Israel this year, according to the Abraham Initiatives.
The Abraham Initiatives expressed outrage after a shooting took place this week in Taybeh towards a local wedding, tweeting "The state woke up too late and even the establishment of the Seif department - which required internal organization in the police and not a special budget allocation - took half a year from the moment of declaration until the actual establishment last month."
"When 88 Arabs were murdered in Israel alone this year, there are no excuses for this procrastination, and the violence must be eradicated with determined police activity along with dealing with the deeper factors and mobilization of all government ministries relevant to the issue. It's time to join the call: Arab Lives Matter," added the organization.
Last month, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett launched a plan to combat crime in Arab-Israeli society and inaugurated a designated department called the Seif Department to handle the issue at the Kiryat Ata police station.
The plan includes a number of measures to increase the police presence in Arab localities and on nearby roads, including the addition of 1,100 positions to Israel Police and new police stations. The plan will also provide economic and integrated enforcement against criminal organizations and the implementation of advanced technologies to support enforcement and prevention efforts.
Public Security Minister Omer Bar-Lev added that the plan to combat crime in Arab-Israeli society would include legislation, the dismantling of crime families and that the government would work alongside Arab-Israeli leaders.