When Personal Security Becomes an Immediate Concern...

Author

Montaser Hamdan

Personal security is no longer just an idea, theory, or slogan in our country; it has become a constant concern accompanying every detail of citizens' lives, with fears of increasing crime rates, the spread of illegal weapons, and the field complications faced by security agencies in fulfilling their duties to achieve safety and security for citizens.

Hardly a day goes by without hearing about the murder of a citizen, a theft, or a brawl that escalated into gunfire, or innocent citizens being subjected to extortion or violence in various forms, clearly indicating the seriousness of the issue of personal security for the citizen who witnesses firsthand the signs of the collapse of collective security for citizens due to a series of complex and compounded factors with both external and internal causes, placing the ordinary citizen in a real dilemma and raising the bigger question: Who will protect me and my family?

The sources of concern regarding personal security for the ordinary citizen stem from various crime indicators such as murder, theft, the spread of drugs, and family disputes that lead to the use of weapons. Another factor arises from the lack of trust citizens have in legal proceedings and resorting to the relevant authorities, including the judiciary, to restore rights to their rightful owners.

Standing before the courts and listening to the positions of reviewers and the parties involved in cases before the courts, as well as their opinions on this matter, allows you to build clear indicators regarding the decline in the sense of security and the increasing dissatisfaction with litigation procedures. This gradually contributes to the loss of trust among the majority of citizens in the justice system in general, which forces citizens to resort to family and tribal solutions instead of turning to the competent authorities that are originally tasked with providing security and protection for citizens.

Among the cases being followed in the courts, a woman in her mid-forties stood with her husband before the court waiting to be called to appear before the judge. She appeared visibly angry after more than a year had passed since her case involving an attack on her home, which resulted in her and her son sustaining minor injuries, and one of the assailants firing a weapon without causing injuries. The most bizarre thing is when you hear her say: 'We have dried our throats as we moved from one place to another to prove our rights, even though we are the victims of this assault,' indicating that the assailants used all means and methods to evade their responsibility for using a weapon in this attack, including attempts to manipulate, mislead, and take shelter over the months that began since the complaint was filed and the investigation or even the weapon was seized.

The loss of personal security and the slowdown of procedures and the prolongation of litigation enhances the citizen's feeling of injustice, which contributes to the decline in the citizen's trust in the justice system. The growing dissatisfaction reinforces the culture of taking the law into one's own hands, which directly or indirectly leads to the feeling that the existing system has become incapable of protecting him from internal violence. At the same time, citizens, when any incident or murder occurs, openly and critically say, 'Where is the authority and its agencies?' Meanwhile, the security agencies, specifically the Palestinian police, become the first refuge for critics when they are victims of such crimes.

Statistics and data from the Palestinian police for the year 2025 indicate the registration of (45) murders that resulted in the deaths of (48) citizens, including 41 males and 7 females, compared to the year 2024, which witnessed (50) murders.

Family disputes and conflicts are the leading cause of murder crimes, accounting for (31.3%), followed by honor-related murders at (8.3%), and financial disputes at (6.3%). Meanwhile, the same statistics show that firearms were the most commonly used means in murder crimes, being used in (25) cases, which is (52.1%), followed by sharp and hard tools in (12) cases at (25%). Other means were recorded in limited percentages, such as trampling, physical assault, burning, and others.

Such figures indicate the prevailing state of concern regarding personal security among citizens. Based on the official statistics from the police department, it can be clearly pointed out that despite the political and security instability in the West Bank, the tightening of legal weapon control and the pursuit of all forms of crime is an unavoidable option for citizens and the relevant security authorities, especially with the success of the Palestinian police in seizing (457) firearms last year. It also emphasizes the necessity of enhancing community awareness of the dangers of violence.

Building trust between citizens, who have the right to protection, and law enforcement agencies, which bear the primary responsibility for achieving that, is the result of professionalism in performance and credibility in dealing. This aligns with the notion that personal security is a natural right of citizens that must be executed with responsibility and values that are consistent with the powers and responsibilities, ensuring the rule of law on one hand and preserving citizens' rights on the other, considering all of this as our national and collective responsibility.