In the wake of Tuesday's terrorist attack in Beersheba, Negev residents rushed to obtain licenses to carry a personal firearm, Israel Hayom has learned.
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Nevertheless, the owner of a gun shop located 100 meters (yards) away from the scene of the attack said sales have not increased yet due to the lengthy and complex process of obtaining such a permit.
"Weapons are not something you can buy the next day, because we are the end destination. Perhaps in a month or two, we will see an increase in sales," he said, adding that meanwhile, residents arm themselves with tear gas.
One of the customers, a local school teacher, came to buy tear gas at the store for herself "and a group of teachers and parents of students."
An attorney from the Negev, who had received the long-awaited permit shortly before and was planning to buy a gun soon, told Israel Hayom that he decided to purchase a weapon because "some Israelis have foreign interests and don't feel like they are part of the country."
I realized this during last year's fighting in Gaza, he said. "And because of this internal threat, a most serious threat, I understood that every citizen must protect himself. Because we see that the military and the police cannot deal with them."
The attorney recalled how during last year's fighting in Gaza, protesters in the mixed city of Lod rioted in the streets, with residents locking doors and staying inside for safety.
"I remember someone said on TV, 'I locked my door and prayed they wouldn't break in and try do something. I would have felt much safer had I had a gun.'"
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