Israel eases gun control laws to arm more citizens.
Israel, the tiny democracy in the Middle East with terrorists along all its borders, has stricter gun-control laws than anywhere in the United States. Unlike our Second Amendment, there is no recognition of the right to keep and bear arms.
After the horrific terrorist attack by Hamas from Gaza, Israel’s government has taken steps to make it slightly easier for its citizens to own firearms for self-defense.
Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir announced Sunday in Hebrew an emergency declaration that will “allow as many citizens as possible to arm themselves.” Currently, only 1.5 percent of the civilian population has a license to own a gun.
Emergency Gun Policy
Ben-Gvir’s emergency policies for the Firearm Licensing Department went into effect within 24 hours.
The laws that require proving “a need” to own and carry a gun have not changed. However, those eligible to apply for a license under the “self-defense test” can now do the required interview over the phone instead of in person. The applicant will be approved for the license within a week under the new order.
While a citizen can still purchase only one handgun, the limit on rounds of ammunition has been increased from 50 to 100.
According to the minister, 4,000 citizens who applied for a conditional permit in 2023 but let the license expire before using it can now purchase a firearm. Another 1,800 people in the past six months who returned their guns to the government for not taking a training renewal course can get their weapons back.
Israel’s Strict Gun Control Track Record
The narrow eligibility criteria for Israelis to apply for a gun license remain the same as before the attack. You are eligible to apply only if you live or work in the settlement areas or are employed in professions that use guns — like security guards, police officers, or firefighters. Active duty military, military veterans of a certain rank, and special forces can also apply.
When applying, an individual must provide references, proof of residency for three years, and meet the minimum age requirement (based on military service and residency.) Applicants must also prove a basic knowledge of Hebrew and provide a health declaration from a doctor.
The person must pass the interview, pay a licensing fee, buy the gun, and attend 4.5 hours of training at a shooting range.
Applicants can meet all these requirements but still be denied based on criminal convictions, drug use, or certain mental health conditions.
An Israeli who no longer meets all the eligibility requirements must notify the Firearm Licensing Department and deposit their firearm and license at a police station within 72 hours.
The complex application process may explain why only 140,000 of the 9 million Israelis have a permit.
Gun Rights Advocate
Ben-Gvir has been advocating for increased civilian gun ownership to address both terrorist attacks and crime since he took office at the beginning of this year. He has made it easier to obtain permits by adding staff to process the licenses and expanding the eligibility criteria to include more veterans and medic volunteers.
“I want more weapons on the streets so that the citizens of Israel can defend themselves,” he said in January.
By early June, the Jerusalem Post reported that new licenses had increased by 280 percent compared to the same four-month period in 2022.
Ben-Gvir stated in August that his policies had led to an 88 percent increase in the number of women receiving firearms licenses.
“Women who want to defend themselves and their families is a blessed thing,” said Ben-Gvir. The government’s swift response after the devastating attack to gun control laws to arm more citizens.”>ease gun-control laws demonstrates that some Israelis want to arm themselves instead of relying solely on the military or police. Our inherent right to self-defense knows no borders.
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What adjustments have been made to Israel’s gun control laws to enable citizens to better protect themselves amidst terrorist threats?
Israel: Stricter Gun Control Laws Amidst Terrorist Threats
Israel, a small democracy in the Middle East surrounded by terrorists, has some of the strictest gun control laws in the world, even more so than in the United States, where the Second Amendment guarantees the right to keep and bear arms. However, in light of recent terrorist attacks by Hamas from Gaza, the Israeli government has made adjustments to allow its citizens to better protect themselves.
Israel’s Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, announced an emergency declaration on Sunday that aims to “allow as many citizens as possible to arm themselves.” Currently, only 1.5 percent of the civilian population has a license to own a gun.
Ben-Gvir’s emergency policies for the Firearm Licensing Department took effect within 24 hours. The laws requiring individuals to prove a need to own and carry a gun have not changed. However, those eligible to apply for a license under the “self-defense test” can now conduct the required interview over the phone, rather than in person. This new order will ensure that applicants are approved for the license within a week.
While citizens are still limited to owning only one handgun, the restriction on the number of rounds of ammunition has been increased from 50 to 100.
Under these new policies, approximately 4,000 citizens who applied for a conditional permit in 2023 but let the license expire before using it can now purchase a firearm. Additionally, around 1,800 people who returned their guns to the government for not taking a training renewal course in the past six months can retrieve their weapons.
It is important to note that the eligibility criteria for Israelis to apply for a gun license remains the same as before the attack. Individuals are eligible to apply if they live or work in settlement areas or are employed in professions that require the use of guns, such as security guards, police officers, or firefighters. Active duty military personnel, military veterans of a certain rank, and special forces can also apply.
Applicants must provide references, proof of residency for three years, meet the minimum age requirement (based on military service and residency), demonstrate a basic knowledge of Hebrew, and provide a health declaration from a doctor. They must pass an interview, pay a licensing fee, purchase the gun, and attend 4.5 hours of training at a shooting range.
While applicants may fulfill all these requirements, they can still be denied a license based on criminal convictions, drug use, or certain mental health conditions.
Israel, known for its track record of strict gun control, has made modest changes to its laws to allow citizens to exercise their right to self-defense in the face of heightened terrorist threats. The government’s actions reflect the ongoing balancing act of preserving public safety while respecting individual rights.
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