Israel's five-point plan to combat violence and alcohol abuse

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday unveiled details of a five-point plan to combat violent crime and alcohol abuse in Israel. The plan includes stiffer penalties for violent crimes, greater regulation of the sale of alcohol and the use of CCTV cameras in dozens of cities.

Netanyahu said Sunday "Our justice system is the best in the world but we can stiffen the penalties on violent criminals...criminals need to stay longer in jail, there shouldn't be a revolving door for criminals."

The plan also calls for adding special anti-violence education to school curriculum, as well as greater leeway for administrators to punish violent students.

In order to combat rising youth drinking rates, the Netanyahu plan would bring widespread limits to the sale of alcohol, including a ban on selling alcohol after 9 P.M.

Netanyahu said Israel will "limit the sale of alcohol after 9 P.M. We will legally ban the sale of alcohol in kiosks as well as in gas station. Whether it will be a general ban or just to those of a certain age is yet to be determined, but presenting an I.D. will be insisted on. We will also stiffen allowed drivers' blood-alcohol levels. Alcohol is a national epidemic. We are relatively low in alcohol consumption and violence, but we are on the rise and that trend must be stopped."

The plan also includes the affixing of CCTV security cameras in 50 cities, connected to a grid of cameras. Netanyahu referred to the plan as the "city without violence" initiative, and invoked the example of the U.K. to show that such efforts have been successful in the past.

"In Britain, the birthplace of democracy, there are more cameras than in any other country and violence rates are going down...countries that have adopted the principles I am describing here have been able to reduce violence within a short span of time. This is practical work, and I have no doubt that we can do it."