Mafia Power Struggle in Israel

The power status of the Mafia in Israel is now in flux and that could mean a lot more violence in the near future. Israel has really cracked down on the local mafia and organized crime families making massive raids and arrest. But with all the arrest being made and high ranking members being taken off the streets it often leads to a power vacuum which can be dangerous. With the old guard being removed it makes room for younger ambitious and often more violent and aggressive gangsters to try and make their way into those now open top tier positions.

Israel has made arrest of 11 of the top 18 reputed mafia bosses of the local families. Along with the arrest of many of the top leadership there have been approximately 57 mid and lower level mobsters taken off the streets as well. With this type of massive shake up there are endless opportunities for the young turks of the families to make names for themselves and hence move into a more prominent role. Arrest of leadership spots in some of the most powerful mafia families in Israel like the  Shirazi , Abutbul, and Alpherson organizations leaving the younger generations in these powerful families trying to establish their own power base.

Powerful bosses Shai Shirazi , Itzik Bar Muha , and Amir Mulner have all been but behind bars over the last couple of years. This without a doubt dealt a major blow to the Mafia clans they led to power but it may prove to be only a temporary solution if the next generation can step in as many other Mafia’s have shown the capability of doing. But this is already showing that it comes at a price and that price is violence which showed up in 2009 as a street brawl between Avner Harari and Shalom Domrani both underworld figures. Israel police describe Harari as the top mafia hit man in Israel’s gangland proving that mafioso are already fighting to establish themselves for the vacant leadership positions.

David Cohen who is the Israel Police Insp-Gen made a speech at the Herzliya Conference spoke about the organized crime problems in Israel. He also met with NY City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly is discuss Mafia and Organized crime measures and techniques used in NY and how the two departments can maintain cooperation. Like many other regions of the world Mafia groups have shown the ability to adapt and continue to grow with the times even with the increase in convictions and the loss of top leaders.