Following the Hamas attack on Israel Saturday and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s declaration of war with the Palestinian militant group, Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir made a move to arm more civilians with firearms.
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“Today I directed the Firearms Licensing Division to go on an emergency operation, in order to allow as many citizens as possible to arm themselves,” he said in a Sunday X post. “The plan will take effect within 24 hours.”
He said changes would cover changes to interview processes, expired permits, some training requirements and more. Thousands of citizens are expected to be impacted.
Other moves this week include an announcement from the city of Ashkelon that it would set up “a volunteer police force for entry control checks into the city” consisting of armed citizens who already had personal weapon permits working alongside local police and army forces, said the Times of Israel. Gush Etzion in the West Bank was looking into how to expedite gun licenses for residents, the outlet added.
According to CBS News, more than 1,600 people have been killed since Hamas launched its attack. Most of the 900 Israelis who died were civilians, said the report. Another 2,500 have been injured as of Tuesday.
Netanyahu said in an update that he is “in continuous contact with President [Joe] Biden, and I would like to thank him again, on behalf of all the citizens of Israel, for the commitment of the USA in words and deeds for the security of Israel. An American aircraft carrier, one of the largest in the world, is on its way to our region. Our common enemies in space understand very well the significance of this step.”
As the U.S. sends support, Israeli citizens remain concerned about their safety, according to the Times of Israel.
“Some citizens began campaigns for a loosening of Israel’s gun ownership laws, to allow more residents to bear personal arms,” said the outlet. Even before the recent attack, Ben Gvir and other libertarian and right-wing politicians there championed for less restrictive gun license laws, the report explained.
In Israel, a citizen’s ability to obtain a gun license is based on where they live and if they can demonstrate a need for extra security.
Rabbi Raz Blizovsky, 32, of Katzrin, an activist for gun rights, told the Times of Israel that more people are supporting lax gun laws there.
“People are changing their opinion, and now there is more awareness,” he said. Blizovsky started several WhatsApp communities for those who wish to have easier access to personal weapons after the Hamas attack, and they have drawn some 4,000 members in 24 hours.
One online petition he created, it garnered some 8,000 signatures during that time as well. Another online petition pressuring the Israeli government to allow “a permit to carry a private weapon for anyone who has served in the IDF and has no criminal record,” garnered more than 26,000 digital signatures since Sunday.
However, critics warn that easier access to firearms could also lead to suicides, violence against women, road rage incidents, and murders, per the Times of Israel.
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