Give credit where it is due

The manhunt for Nashat Milhem, the gunman who carried out the Jan. 1 attack at a Tel Aviv bar, ended as expected. The Shin Bet security agency and the Israel Police closed in on him from and intelligence standpoint, which led to the discovery of his hideout, and led police special forces to eventually kill Milhem as he was trying to escape.

The victims' families expressed understandable satisfaction over the news, as Milhem's death spared them what could have been a lengthy trial. Defense officials, however, were less satisfied. A live terrorist is an asset, not a burden. Had Milhem been taken alive, he could have provided the missing pieces in the puzzle: Did he have accomplices? Why did he target the bar? Why did he kill taxi driver Ayman Shaaban? Who helped him escape the greater Tel Aviv area? Who harbored him during the weeklong manhunt? Was he affiliated with any known terrorist group-

Some of these questions will remain unanswered, and some, mostly those regarding potential accomplices, will be answered as part of the investigation, ahead of potential indictments.

The investigation may end up proving Milhem was a triple threat, who managed to kill and wound innocent people, implicate his relatives, and undermine Jewish-Arab relations, which have sunk to a new, dangerous low.

The government would be wise to heed the recommendations presented by the Shin Bet and the police. Both organizations urge to tone down the political rhetoric regarding Israeli Arabs, and to take concrete social and economic actions to increase their sense of belonging.

This is not a question of altruism but rather one of pragmatism: The more Israeli Arabs have to lose by becoming terror sympathizers, the less likely they are to partner with the radical fringe, and vice versa -- the more they are marginalized, the more likely we are to see Milhem copycats.

The latter option is exactly what terrorist groups hope to see. Chances that Milhem was doing the bidding of Hamas or Islamic State are slim, but that did not stop various terrorist groups from trying to take ownership of the attack so as to encourage others to follow in his footsteps. An Israeli Arab -- emphasis on Israeli -- terrorist, carrying a blue ID card allowing him to move freely within Israel, is every terrorist group's dream. Such terrorists are exponentially more dangerous than Palestinian terrorists, and apprehending them poses a far greater challenge.

The defense establishment must now launch a professional and impartial inquiry into why it took a week to find Milhem, despite the fact he was hiding practically in plain sight, and whether or not any opportunities to apprehend him sooner were missed.

Such an inquiry is likely to give credit where credit is due, mostly to the close collaboration between the police and the Shin Bet on the case, which one cannot help but think was inspired by new Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh, a former Shin Bet official.

After years of rivalry between the police and the Shin Bet, which sometimes even undermined investigations, the manhunt for Milhem was professional and efficient, despite public criticism and ridicule suggesting otherwise. Given the bleak events of last week, this collaboration was a ray of light.

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