The Lod Municipality has petitioned the High Court of Justice against the Israel Police and the Ministry of National Security, arguing that the absence of adequate law enforcement and the ministry’s failure to allocate resources constitute unlawful discrimination against Lod’s residents and reflect an extreme lapse in reasonable governance.

"The Government of Israel—particularly the Ministry of National Security—appears to have abandoned its public duty toward the country’s citizens and the residents of Lod, whose personal security is being blatantly and directly compromised by this negligence” the petition states. "Years of systemic failure have rendered many legal provisions—criminal, administrative, and otherwise—meaningless the moment one crosses into Lod. In the city, law and authority have all but vanished, leaving a situation where individuals act with impunity. Due to  governmental negligence and the absence of effective  governance in the city, the residents' reality is unbearable, suffering discrimination compared to the rest of the country. This situation, in itself, deprives them of the basic conditions necessary for a dignified and secure life."

In March 2023, Shomrim and Yedioth Ahronoth's 7 Days supplement published the investigative report "A Journey to Israel’s Murder Capital", which analyzed approximately 70 murders committed in Lod over the past decade—only about a third of which were solved. This investigation is mentioned in the petition and is included as one of its appendices. However, the situation has not improved since its publication. According  to data cited in the petition, 20 people were murdered in the city in 2023, and 16 others were killed in the previous year. The petition was filed with the High Court two weeks ago, and since then, another murder has already taken place in the city—14-year-old Mohammad Salman Abu Zayed was shot dead this week (Monday) during an exchange of fire in the Pardes Snir neighborhood.

"Years of systemic failure have rendered many legal provisions—criminal, administrative, and otherwise—meaningless the moment one crosses into Lod. In the city, law and authority have all but vanished, leaving a situation where individuals act with impunity"

The petition claims that Lod is short 80 police officer positions, which would require an annual budget of approximately 24 million shekels ($6.5 million). Additionally, the municipality asserts that during nighttime hours, only one active police patrol vehicle operates in the city. Furthermore, out of 17 positions that were supposed to be allocated to municipal policing, only 7 have been filled—including the commander and deputy—leaving just five actual municipal police officers.

Beyond the allegations of discrimination and extreme unreasonableness, the petition argues that the conduct of the Ministry of National Security and the police is arbitrary and that these authorities have failed to consider all relevant factors and the consequences of their actions. Therefore, the municipality is asking the court to compel the police to take action against criminals involved in shootings in the city, mandate financial incentives for officers serving in mixed cities, recruit reserve police officers to fill the missing positions, and enlist civilian law enforcement units to help combat crime.

“The residents of Lod should not have to suffer due to the state's inaction,” Lod Mayor Yair Revivo was quoted as saying on the city’s official website. “Just as the State of Israel must recruit teachers and educators for its education system, so too must it recruit police officers to ensure security. The measures requested in the petition will reduce crime in Lod, create deterrence, establish governance, and prevent criminals from operating freely in the city. This will help restore residents' personal security and safeguard public safety."