Israeli Right Wing Minister Ben-Gvir Allows 100 Thousand Israelis To Have Firearms

Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. (Twitter/@itamarbengvir)

JAKARTA - Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on Monday decided to allow about 100,000 additional Israelis to obtain special firearms permits, as part of a controversial policy.

"Minister) Ben-Gvir today approved the addition of new cities to the list of eligible cities for special firearms permits," his office said in a statement, launching WAFA September 1.

According to Ben-Gvir's office, about 230,000 new firearms permits have been issued since the beginning of the weapons policy.

Meanwhile, Minister Ben-Gvir announced directly the addition of five cities and local councils to a list of areas where residents are eligible to obtain private firearms permits.

In the statement, the five regions he meant were Kiryat Gat, Kiryat Malachi, Gan Yavne, Regional Council of Megiddo and Tel Mond.

"The reforms we lead have saved many lives and have proven effective on the ground. This reform is designed to allow law-abiding citizens to protect themselves and their communities," he said.

Ben-Gvir launched a policy to arm Israeli citizens, including colonys in the occupied West Bank, by the end of 2023, following the outbreak of the latest Israeli military conflict with Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip.

The colonies carry out terrorist attacks almost daily, using firearms against civilians in the occupied West Bank, forcibly displacing them and seizing land and their property.

Throughout July they carried out 466 attacks, resulting in four Palestinians killed in the West Bank, and forced eviction of al-Malihat Arab settlements in Yerik and Deir Alla in Bethlehem, consisting of 50 Palestinian families consisting of 267 people.

They also carried out 232 acts of vandalism and theft of property for residents, which affected a large area, and resulted in the removal, destruction, and poisoning of 2,844 trees, including 2,647 olive trees.