RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinians who live within the Green Line (Israel) are exposed increasingly to violence in their towns and villages. On May 28, Samar al-Khatib from Jaffa was killed and her friend wounded after their vehicle was shot at near Rishon LeZion. Abdul Salam Azba was shot May 26 by unknown men in front of his house in Qalansawe city.

A week earlier, two other violent crimes took place. On May 17, a man in Jaffa killed his two sisters, Noura and Hayat Moulouk, claiming they were dishonoring the family. On May 16, a woman in her 50s and her daughter were stabbed by an unknown person in Tiberias.

Violence and murder have run rampant in Palestinian communities in Israel. Naila Awwad, the director of the Association of Women Against Violence in Israel, blames the Israeli security institutions for these crimes. She told Al-Monitor, “The Palestinians live as a national minority in these areas and suffer discrimination and marginalization. We believe Israeli security institutions do not care about uncontrolled weapons and the pursuit and punishment of murderers.”

Awwad said that the murder of the Moulouk sisters could have been expected, because the killer had been in jail and was accused of violence and of being a threat to citizens. Local reports also stated that he had psychological problems, but the police ignored this and released him despite the family’s complaints about his fierce behavior.