(TotalConservative.com) – Another sign of escalating violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict occurred recently: Israel will be loosening some of their gun restrictions to allow more citizens to arm themselves in light of the recent attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Last weekend, the radical Islamic group Hamas launched an assault on Israel, killing over 900 and injuring more than 2,000, some of whom were foreign nationals visiting the country for a music festival. The attack sparked widespread outrage from the international community and a heavy military response from Israel who launched a “complete siege” on the Gaza Strip, conducting over 1,000 airstrikes in just a couple of days.
Now, the Jewish state is taking further measures to defend itself by changing its gun laws. Itamar Ben-Gvir, the Israeli National Security Minister, made the announcement on Twitter in Hebrew on Sunday, stating that the Israeli government would “allow as many citizens as possible” to take up arms. As of the announcement, only 1.5% of Israeli citizens have a firearm license.
Ben-Gvir has been a longtime advocate for arming civilians in Israel, something he’s pushed for since taking office this year. BenGvir believes civilians should be able to defend themselves not only from terrorist attacks but also from crime.
Within 24 hours, the emergency policies went into effect, making it easier to obtain a license from the Firearm Licensing Department. Although the laws requiring one to prove their “need” to have and carry a firearm remain the same, eligible candidates can apply for and take the required “self-defense test” online or over the phone rather than having to go in person. The new order also reduces the application approval time to one week.
Ammunition round limits have also been doubled to 100, although only one handgun per citizen remains the same.
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