FACT CHECK: Can Israeli Students Bring Firearms To Class?

A post shared on Facebook claims Israel does not have school shootings because students can bring firearms to class.

Verdict: False

Students in Israel are prohibited from bringing firearms to class, according to a spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy to the U.S.

Fact Check:

There have been at least 267 mass shootings in the U.S., some of which have occurred at schools, as of June 15, according to the Gun Violence Archive. A viral post shared on Facebook claims that there are no school shootings in Israel because students are allowed to carry firearms. The image shows four women with rifles slung across their backs.

“No school shootings in Israel,” the post claims. “Must be great gun control? What, they carry guns to class – oh no, not that!”

The claim is incorrect. Though school shootings are uncommon in Israel, students cannot carry guns with them to class. (RELATED: Are Guns Illegal In Chicago?)

“The claim is false,” said a spokesperson at the Embassy of Israel to the U.S. in an emailed statement to Check Your Fact. “Those are not students with guns, as guns are not allowed in classes in Israel, either in schools or colleges.”

Nearly every school in Israel is protected by an armed guard, according to Fox News. A report written for the Connecticut General Assembly in 2013 states that only the guards, the police, the army and authorized educational personnel can carry firearms at schools in Israel.

The Firearm Licensing Department of Israel states on its website that “The law does not recognize a right to bear arms and anyone who wishes to carry a gun must meet a number of requirements and demonstrate a need to carry one.” These requirements include that an applicant must demonstrate a need for owning a weapon, be over 18 years of age, have a basic understanding of Hebrew and have a health declaration signed by a medical doctor. The site makes no mention of students being allowed to carry weapons to school.

Check Your Fact has reached out to the Israel Defense Force for comment and will update this piece if a response is given.

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