On Monday, one of the major kingpins of an Israeli mafia family was assassinated. Yaakov Alperon, commonly known as "Don Alperon," was driving through a northern suburb of Tel Aviv when his car was torn apart by a remote activated bomb.
   
According to The Associated Press, Alperon ran the third-largest crime family in Tel Aviv. He was considered a cultural icon within Israel. Alperon was often interviewed on TV and dated celebrities, and many of his family members were on an Israeli reality show.
   
Despite this glamorous life, many attempts have taken place previously to end his life. Crime leaders in Tel Aviv often have bodyguards and travel in armored vehicles every day.
   
Mafia families generally earn their income by joining businesses within the city. Alperon's family worked closely with restaurants and would offer protection to the restaurant owners and their families in return for used bottles. The bottle recycling business brings in around $5 million a year, according to Israeli police and environmental groups.
   
The death of Yaakov came as no surprise because of the list of rivals he had. Convicted drug lord Zeev Rosenstein was one such man who survived more than seven assassination attempts himself. Other rivals included the Abutbul and Abarjil families who were also in the hunt for lucrative funds in the bottle recycling racket.
   
Never has recycling been so costly.
   
In years past, Israelis were often in fear of their Palestinian neighbors. These days, the rise in mob violence worries an entire nation. Bloody battles by rival underworld gangs have plagued many towns and cities in Israel.
   
Three bystanders were injured during Monday's attack, including a 13-year-old boy waiting at a bus stop, according to BBC News.
   
It is not uncommon for mafia members to use grenades, bombs or anti-tank missiles when carrying out jobs. This often harms more than just their intended target.
   
It is this lack of control by many Israeli mafia members that leads to heightened tensions within the country. Not only are businesses at risk because of illegal deals, but the citizens are constantly aware they could fall victim to an attack because of the lack of concern for bystanders by the mafia.
   
In 2003, three people were killed when a bomb explosion hit a bus in an attempt to kill a rival gang leader — that leader was not killed. In another case, an entire building was destroyed while the target of the attack walked away unharmed.
   
Because of these recent attacks, reporters within Israel expect an all-out war within crime families. Yossi Sedbon, a former Tel Aviv police chief recently said, "This battle between gangs of criminals will continue, and the family will make great efforts to avenge his death."
   
To ensure the safety of citizens within the country, drastic measures must be taken. The security forces and police in Israel need to be ready for such an event. In past years they have been unable to prevent or deter much at all. Direct oversight by Israeli's government should be implemented to avoid corruption of police.
   
It is imperative that more attention be paid in tracking and monitoring monetary transactions from the families' accounts and physical movements if possible. Even if more guards need to be employed or more are on duty at a time, it would be comparatively advantageous to spend more to protect citizens for the stability of Israel.


Nick A. Wilson is a sophomore in political science. Please send comments to opinion@spub.ksu.edu