BRAVE MAG

A mother shot dead outside a supermarket. A man killed after leaving a mosque. A doctor gunned down while treating patients. These shocking cases are no longer anomalies: they are the toll of a violent crime epidemic sweeping across Israel.

The victims are allPalestinian citizens of Israel. Homicides in their community have risen so dramatically that one person has been killed every day on average this year. Palestinian citizens make up 20% of the country's population, and many say the Israeli government has not only failed to curb the crime wave, but that its inaction has helped spur a cycle of violence largely perpetrated by Arab organized crime groups.

The data bears out a stark inequality: Israel Police has solved just 15% of homicides in Israel's Arab communities versus 65% among Jewish Israelis, according to data from Israel's parliament, the Knesset, and Eilaf, the Center for Advancing Security in Arab Society.

Palestinian citizens of Israel are descendants of those who were notexpelled or forced to flee their homeswhen Israel was established in 1948. They were given citizenship but lived under military rule until 1966, and many say they continue to face discrimination in Israeli society.

Last year was the deadliest on record for the community, with 252 killed – the vast majority by gunfire – according to a report published byAbraham Initiatives,a group that advances social inclusion and equal rights for Israel's Palestinian citizens.

And 2026 is already off to a bloody start, with 46 killed so far, according to the group.

It is a deadly reality that has raised alarm bells, with tens of thousands of the country's Palestinian citizens taking to the streets in recent weeks – joined by some Jewish Israelis – to demand government action.

"No to killing, no to death, we want to live in justice," demonstrators chanted in Arabic at a January protest in Sakhnin, a majority Palestinian city in northern Israel, which drew tens of thousands of people.

Attendees told CNN it was the largest demonstration the Arab community has seen in years, culminating a multi-day general strike from shop owners.

What began there has since grown into a nationwide protest movement, with strikes and demonstrations taking place almost daily across Israel. Streets across the country were filled with a sea of black flags and water fountains were dyed red as citizens declared a "national day of disruption."

A week after the Sakhnin strike, Israeli President Isaac Herzog made a rare visit to the city, where he met with local Arab authorities and protest organizers.

He said the fight against crime and violence in the Arab community "must be at the very top of the national priorities and be addressed with the utmost determination" calling it a "moral obligation."

And on Thursday, Israel's Police Commissioner Daniel Levi declared crime in the Arab community "a state of national emergency" and "an intolerable situation that must stop."

He called on other government agencies to join the police in helping address the issue.

'Let them kill each other'

For many Palestinian citizens of Israel, those declarations ring hollow. Qasem Awad has waited for more than a year for his son's killer to be brought to justice.

His son, Abdullah, a doctor from Mazra'a in the western Galilee, was treating a mother and her two children at a clinic last February when a masked gunman walked in and fatally shot him at close range. He was 30 at the time.

Abdullah had been filling in for another doctor that day. His father believes he was mistaken for someone else.

"If you look at the Palestinian Arab community in Israel, how many are being killed daily and for no reason?" Awad said. "These people have nothing to do with the world of crime. They are collateral damage, and my son is one of them."

In the days following Abdullah's death, his parents say Israel Police visited and assured them they would investigate his death and identify the perpetrator.

More than a year later, the pledge remains unfulfilled, and the family says it hasn't heard from law enforcement authorities.

If his son had been Jewish, Awad believes the killer would've been arrested "in an hour".

Like many others in his community, Awad believes the Israeli government intentionally neglects crime perpetrated against Palestinian citizens.

"It is part of a policy to divide and conquer. 'Let them kill each other while we sit back and relax,'" he said.

Awad points to the speed with which Palestinian perpetrators are brought to justice in crimes against Israelis.

"The technological tools and know-how are available for them to catch the killers. But when it is affecting the Arab demographic, they no longer have the tools or the know-how?" he asked.

According to the Eilaf report, Palestinian citizens of Israel face "selective enforcement" of the law.

"On the one hand, a tough approach towards political activity andfreedom of expression, and on the other, a soft approach towards criminals and crime," the report said.

In response to a query from CNN, the Israel Police said in a statement that a "thorough and complex investigation was launched" following the killing of Dr. Awad, where authorities have questioned "dozens of involved parties, with the aim of locating the suspects and uncovering the truth."

Homicides doubling under Ben Gvir's watch

Data compiled by Abraham Initiatives shows that homicide cases among Palestinian citizens of Israelmore than doubled in 2023.

That was far-right Minister of National SecurityItamar Ben Gvir'sfirst full year overseeing the police.

Ben Gvir, who was convicted for supporting terrorism and incitinganti-Arab racism, has rejected responsibility, instead blaming local Arab leaders for turning a "blind eye" to criminal activity. Last month, he said he had "allocated enormous resources to the fight against crime and criminal organizations."

Critics say his actions speak louder than his words. Within months of entering office, Ben Gvir cut off key funding for an anti-Arab crime initiative called "Stop the Bleeding," launched by the previous government. The next year, he dismissed the police official in charge of fighting crime in Arab society and put a lower-ranking official in his place.

On Sunday, Ben Gvir defended the job he's done, saying on Kan Reshet Bet radio that there have been "great successes" during his tenure. "I don't work for the Arabs, not just for the Arabs," he said. "I work for everyone."

"There is 20% less murder in the Jewish sector, let's put that on the table … 60% fewer murders of Jewish women, and 20% fewer car thefts." Ben Gvir said crime in the Arab sector is a "grave phenomenon" and he intends to "combat it." But he blamed the Attorney General, with whom he has had an ongoing feud, and "40 years of neglect" from authorities for the surge, despite record killings during his tenure.

The concern is not only the surge in killings, but the increasing brazenness with which they are carried out.

According to Eilaf's report, three out of four killings last year occurred in public spaces, indicating the "dangerous normalization of open crime… without any real fear of immediate intervention or effective deterrence."

"In light of weak governance, limited police presence, and declining trust in institutions, organized crime in Arab towns found a fertile ground for expansion, gradually building its economic and social influence by exploiting the vacuum left by the state," said Rawyah Handaqlu, the head of Eilaf.

She says the violence reflects the "exclusion and marginalization" of Palestinian citizens of Israel, arguing that the state has frequently relegated crime and violence to simply being a product of Arab society, which "holds society responsible for a reality imposed on it."

Aida Touma-Suleiman, a Palestinian member of the Knesset who actively raises the crime issue in parliament, believes the first step to eradicate crime in the Arab community is to topple the right-wing government, which she describes as "racist, fascist and criminal."

"When the government is not acting… not holding the criminals responsible and not prosecuting them, it's like sponsoring them," she told CNN at the Sakhnin protest. "We want them to do the work they are supposed to do, and we want to give our young people the security to develop and to feel that they are living."

In December, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office announced plans to redirect $70 million from a program designed to promote Arab economic development to the police to address "severe nationalistic crime" in the Arab community.

The Mosawa Center, a group advocating equal rights for Palestinian citizens, called it a "dangerous political step" that would do nothing to combat crime.

"While the ministry fails to use the budgets already at its disposal, it is pushing to cut budgets allocated to other areas such as education and housing and transfer them to its own coffers," it said in a statement. "This can only be interpreted as a deliberate policy of further impoverishing Arab society and plunging it deeper into crises, including the scourge of crime."

Back at his home in Mazra'a, Awad's wait for justice continues. He finds comfort only in the photographs of his late son.

Asked if he has any hope that there will be justice for his death, he sighs and points to the ceiling.

"Justice only exists up there, with God."

Cyril Theophilos and Dana Karni contributed to this report.

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Grab your saddle and put on your riding boots — it's time to stampede into the Year of the Horse. Lunar New Year, widely considered the most important event of the year in China and Chinese communities around the planet, is nearly here.

Marking the first new moon of the lunar calendar, it falls on February 17 in 2026, kicking off the 15-daySpring Festival. Celebrations vary depending on the country or region, but there are a few common traditions.

Whether you're unfamiliar with the occasion or need a refresher, this guide to ushering in the Year of the Horse has you covered.

Why is it the Year of the Horse?

Incredibly complex, the Chinese zodiac calendar is best described as a 12-year cycle represented by 12 animals, in this order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.

Your personal zodiac animal sign is determined by youryear of birth, meaning 2026 will welcome plenty of baby Horses. Children born in the last lunar calendar year were Snakes, while those born on or after the Lunar New Year in 2027 will be Goats, and so on.

And every year, a heavenly stem (one of five elements, which fall into the yin or yang category) is paired with an earthly branch (one of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals). This year, the heavenly stem is "Bing" (big sun) and the earthly branch is "Wu" (the Horse), making it the Year of the Fire Horse.

Followers believe that for each Chinese zodiac sign, luck will depend largely on the positions of theTai Sui— a collective name for the stellar deities thought to rotate parallel to and in the opposite direction of Jupiter.

Geomancy masters may interpret the data differently, but there is usually a consensus on what the year means for each zodiac animal based on the positions of the stars.

For many followers, the Lunar New Year is an ideal time to visit a temple to make blessings depending on what the stars have to say about their particular zodiac sign for the coming months.

Why light firecrackers and wear red? Meet Nian

There are countless folktales attached to Lunar New Year, but the myth ofNianstands out as one of the most fun.

According to the legend, every Lunar New Year's Eve this ferocious underwater beast with sharp teeth and horns would crawl onto the land and attack a nearby village.

On one such occasion, as the villagers rushed into hiding, a mysterious old man showed up and insisted on sticking around despite warnings of impending doom.

To the villagers' surprise, the old man and the village survived utterly unscathed.

The man claimed to have scared Nian away by hanging red banners on his door, lighting firecrackers and donning red clothing.

This is why wearing the fiery color, along with hanging banners and lighting firecrackers or fireworks, are Lunar New Year traditions, all of which are still followed today.

The preparation

Like many major holidays, Lunar New Year can be a lot of work. Festivities often last for 15 days — sometimes even more — with different tasks and activities taking place over that period.

It all begins about a week ahead of the new year.

To kick things off, festive cakes and puddings are made on the 24th day of the last lunar month (February 11 in 2026). Why? The word for cakes and puddings isgaoin Mandarin andgouin Cantonese, which sound the same as the word for "tall."

That means eating these treats is believed to lead to improvements and growth in the coming year. (If you haven't prepared your own "gou" yet, here'san easy recipe for radish cake, a beloved Lunar New Year dish.)

And don't forget about our friend Nian. No Lunar New Year preparation would be complete without the hanging of red banners bearing auspicious phrases and idioms (calledfai chunin Cantonese andchunlianin Mandarin) at home — beginning with one's front door.

These will perform double duty — keep Nian away and invite good fortune.

Some of the prep work isn't quite as enjoyable. Many believe that a big cleanup should take place at home on the 28th day of the last lunar month, which falls on February 15 this year.

The aim is to rid your home of any bad luck that's accumulated over the past year. Some believers won't even sweep or take out the trash for the first five days of the new year, fearing they will wash away all that fresh good luck.

On a related note, many say you shouldn't wash or cut your hair on the first day of the new year either.

Why? Because the Chinese character for the word hair is the first character in the word for prosper. So washing or cutting it off is seen as washing your fortune away.

(Read moreLunar New Year do's and don'ts here.)

Lunar New Year's Eve: The big feast

A big family reunion dinner is usually held on Lunar New Year's Eve, which falls on February 16 this year.

The menu is carefully chosen to include dishes associated with luck, including fish (the Chinese word for it also sounds like "surplus"), puddings (symbolizes advancement) and foods that look like gold ingots (such as dumplings).

In China, the foods served at these classic dinners vary depending on the region. For instance, in some northern areas people tend to serve dumplings and noodles, whereas the south can't live without steamed rice.

Lunar New Year feasts may look very different outside of China. In Malaysia and Singapore, gatherings aren't complete without a loud and chaotic"prosperity toss," oryusheng,when diners stir and toss thinly sliced vegetables and raw fish with chopsticks before a meal.

Lunar New Year's Day: Family visits and red packets

The first few days of the Lunar New Year, especially the first two days, are often a test of one's stamina, appetite and social skills, as many people have to travel and visit immediate family, other relatives and friends.

Bags are stocked with presents and fruits to give out at people's homes. Visitors will be showered with gifts after catching up over Lunar New Year treats.

In many families, married people are expected to give out red packets filled with money to those who haven't yet tied the knot — both children and unmarried juniors.

It's believed these envelopes — known ashongbao/lai see— can protect children by warding off evil spirits, calledsui.

Other countries have their own traditions. In South Korea, for instance, the Lunar New Year festival is calledSeollal. The first three days are filled with tributes to ancestors, festive games and foods such as rice cakes (tteokguk) and pancakes (jeon).

Day 3: Visit a temple

Day three of the Lunar New Year, which falls on February 19, is namedchi kou/cek hau, or red mouth.

It's believed that arguments are more likely to happen on this day, so some people will avoid social interactions and visit temples to make offerings to offset any potential bad luck.

As noted earlier, for many peopleLunar New Yearis a time to consult the stars to find out what lies ahead in the coming months.

Every year, certain Chinese zodiac signs clash with the stars negatively, so temple visits are considered a good way to resolve those conflicts and bring peace in the coming months.

Day 7: The people's birthday

The seventh day of the Lunar New Year (February 23) is when followers believe the Chinese mother goddess,Nuwa, created humanity. Thus, it's calledrenri/jan jat(the people's birthday).

Different communities in Asia will serve various "birthday" foods on that day.

For example, Cantonese people eat dishes made of seven types of vegetables. In Malaysia and Singapore, the aforementioned "prosperity toss" might make an appearance on tables.

Day 15: The Lantern Festival

The highlight of the whole Spring Festival, theLantern Festivalhappens on the 15th and final day (March 3 in 2026).

CalledYuan Xiao Jiein Mandarin Chinese, it's considered the perfect ending to the weeks-long Lunar New Year preparations and celebrations.

The Lantern Festival celebrates the first full moon of the year — hence the name:Yuanmeans beginning;Xiaomeans night.

It marks the departure of winter and the beginning of the spring season.

On this day, people light lanterns to symbolize driving out darkness and bringing hope to the coming year.

In ancient Chinese society, it was the only day when young girls were allowed to go out to admire the lanterns and meet boys. As a result, it's also been dubbed Chinese Valentine's Day.

Nowadays, cities worldwide still put on massive lantern displays and fairs on the festival's final day.

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Minutes after top diplomatMarco Rubioproclaimed that the United States and Europe"belong together"in a conciliatory speech at the Munich Security Conference, his Chinese counterpart took to the stage with his own pitch.

"China and the EU are partners, not rivals," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his audience, speaking from the same stage Saturday.

"As long as we firmly grasp this point, we will be able to make the right choices in the face of challenges, prevent the international community from moving toward division and promote the continuous progress of human civilization."

The Rubio-Wang double bill came as an overhaul of US foreign policy has shaken up America's longstanding bonds with Western allies, who now openly declare that the era of US-backed global security and rules is over.

Now, the race is underway to shape what comes next.

Rubio used his address at the annual security establishment get-together toreassure European leadersthat President Donald Trump's administration is committed to their alliance, even as it believes they need to do more to support it, and that the current international system should be "rebuilt."

And Wang, a veteran diplomat who's been the face of leader Xi Jinping's foreign policy for more than a decade, was ready with his carefully calibrated rejoinder.

Problems with the current international system did not lie primarily with the United Nations, he said, but "certain countries that magnify differences, pursue a country-first approach, engage in bloc confrontation and revive Cold War thinking."

China and Europe, he added – in an apparent admonition of US policy and statecraft –should together reject "unilateral practices," safeguard free trade and oppose bloc confrontation.

Sideline meeting

But Wang presented China's pitch at a moment when Beijing is also looking to keep steady its ties with the US, ahead of an expected trip to China by Trump later this spring.

Stakes are high for the landmark meeting, which could cement the relative stability between the world's two biggest economies that emerged after aXi-Trump meeting in South Korea last fall.

When asked about the visit, Wang told a Munich audience that he was "confident" about the prospects for China-US relations but offered a warning of how their ties could go awry.

There were "two different prospects" for the countries' relations: one in which the US can "understand China reasonably" and cooperate, and another in which the US seeks decoupling, opposes China in a "knee-jerk way" and steps on China's "red lines," including on Taiwan.

The latter path would likely "push China and the United States toward conflict," he said.

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Rubio also addressed the US-China relationship at the conference Saturday, with the known China hawk telling an audience during a Q&A that it would be "geopolitical malpractice" if "two of the big powers on the planet" didn't communicate to manage areas where their interests don't align.

Rubio and Wang also met on the conference sidelines Friday for talks that appeared to further set the stage for the expected Trump visit.

Wang said after the Friday sit-down that the top diplomats had "positive and constructive" talks and would "jointly implement the important consensus reached by" their respective leaders.

A receptive audience?

The key question that Wang and his delegation may be probing at Munich is how deeply Europe is listening to its broader pitch.

Beijing has long looked to promote its own vision for a world no longer dominated by US-led alliances and institutions – and more friendly to its own interests. And it sees Europe as an important pole that shouldn't readily side with the United States.

China is "a steadfast force for peace" and "a reliable force for stability," Wang's message at the gathering went, as he presented Xi's initiative to reshape global governance as the answer for the current moment.

But Beijing's message has a tough audience, as European leaders fret about a gaping trade deficit with China and the country's grip over strategic supply chains.

And ties have been strained in recent years overChina's backing of Russia as it wages war on Ukraine, and as European leaders have grown increasingly wary of Chinese military aggression in the South China Sea and around Taiwan, the self-governing democracy Beijing claims as its territory.

On Sunday, Taiwan's foreign minister Lin Chia-lung disputed Wang's positioning of China as a peaceful power, saying the country's recent "military provocations" fly in the face of UN principles. (China says its military drills defend its "national sovereignty," and Wang in his on-stage remarks in Munich accused some countries of "trying to split Taiwan from China" and framed Japan, not itself, as the regional threat.)

Despite the concerns, Beijing sees an opening as Western leaders recalibrate their foreign policy in the face of a shifting relationship with the US.

Already in recent months,a number of leaders of US-allied countries have visited Beijing, looking to deepen cooperation and dialogue with China as they face frictions with the US.

Ahead of the Munich event, organizers proclaimed that the US-led post-1945 international order is "now under destruction," with the US acting as the most powerful "wrecking ball."

Europeans may have breathed what the chairman of the conference referred to as "sigh of relief" after Rubio's speech, but Trump's threats last month to take control of Greenland – the territory of its NATO ally Denmark – are still echoing in European ears.

And Beijing hopes Europe at least will listen a little more closely to its own pitch.

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