Mafia crime wave in Israel drives Christians from Nazareth

The centuries-old Christian population in the holy city of Nazareth is slowly disappearing because of a mafia crime wave sweeping northern Israel. Like Bethlehem where there was a Christian majority, of nearly 80%, similarly Nazareth is facing the same fate.

Mafia gang members reportedly harass Christian store owners in the northern Israeli city and demand the equivalent of thousands of pounds in protection money.

Their numbers are reported to have grown since the outbreak of the Gaza war despite the deployment of Shin Bet, the Israeli internal security agency, last year and extra police patrols.

“In Nazareth, the mafia will shoot at the stores, then tell them they need ‘chawa’ [protection]. It’s like the Wild West,” said Peter Roshrash, a senior police inspector who has covered Nazareth for decades.

The gangs, which are predominantly Muslim, charge around 50,000 shekels (£10,750) per month as part of a protection racket, he said.

He also claimed they hide guns in Christian residents’ houses that – if discovered by the police – would lead to a further charge of 200,000 shekels at pain of death.

“The mafia harasses them with thefts, car thefts, puncturing tyres, they can’t live in peace,” he added. “It is a tense time for the Christians, who are as much a historic part of Israel’s fabric as the Jews and Muslims.”