(Dmytro “Henry” Aleksandrov, Headline USA) Israel eased its gun laws to arm “as many citizens as possible,” Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said, while former U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Gunter urged Israelis to pick up guns to defend themselves and their loved ones after the horrific Hamas terror attacks.
“There’s a great desire of Israelis to protect their homeland. And I think along with that will be an increased desire to have gun ownership,” according to Gunter, a Republican Jewish Coalition board member who is running for U.S. Senate in Nevada in 2024 after serving as ambassador to Iceland.
Before easing the gun laws, it was only easy for Israeli Defense Forces soldiers and security personnel to obtain a gun, while private citizens needed to jump through a bunch of hoops to be able to defend themselves, Just the News reported.
An Israeli citizen who never completed national service or military service needed to be 27 years old, live or work in a location considered to be high risk and undergo various examinations to finally be able to get a gun.
On Sunday, Ben Gvir announced that any Israeli citizen who meets the requirements to carry a weapon will be able to have a telephone interview rather than an in-person interview and be approved to carry a weapon within a week.
הנחתי היום את האגף לרישוי כלי יריה לצאת למבצע חירום, על מנת לאפשר לאזרחים רבים ככל האפשר להתחמש.
התוכנית תיכנס לתקפה תוך 24 שעות, להלן עיקריה:
1. כל אזרח שעומד בתבחינים המפורטים לנשיאת כלי יריה פרטי בשל הגנה עצמית ושירות כוחות הביטחון, והוא ללא עבר פלילי או רפואי ידרש לעבור…
— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) October 8, 2023
In addition to that, Israelis who did not meet specific renewal requirements or purchase a firearm before their license expired will still be able to carry. Also, instead of just 50, citizens now may be able to receive conditional permits to purchase up to 100 bullets.
Ben Gvir added that the rules would affect thousands of Israelis and “allow as many citizens as possible to arm themselves and protect themselves and their environment when necessary.”
“You will see a greater desire of Israelis, who are very strong and brave people, to protect themselves and embrace the principles that we see in our Second Amendment rights,” Gunter said.
The decision was made after more than 900 people, including at least 11 Americans, were killed, thousands more were injured and about 100 people, including women, children and the elderly, were kidnapped.
Gunter added that considering Israel’s population of more than 9 million people, the numbers would be “the equivalent of something like 30,000 in America, so we cannot forget the disproportionate loss of life, and the wounded in Israel, from this barbaric terrorist attack.”
