National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir pledged Tuesday to push through a major increase in gun permits in the wake of a deadly shooting outside a Jerusalem synagogue last month.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
A statement by Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit party said that he had ordered the Firearms Licensing Department to speed up the issuance of new permits from around 2,000 to 10,000 a month, a five-time increase.
Armed civilians openly carrying pistols in holsters on their hips and off-duty soldiers with their service weapons are common sights in Israel and in Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria, and are often the ones to neutralize a terrorist before more harm is done.
This is what happened on Jan. 28, when a 13-year-old Palestinian teenager opened fire at Jewish passersby outside the Old City. He was neutralized by an armed civilian, but not before wounding two people, a father and a son.
The attack is thought to have been inspired by the shooting that occurred the night before outside a synagogue in the Neve Yaakov neighborhood, in which a Palestinian terrorist killed seven Israelis.
Lawmakers have cited the civilian's action in support of the plans to expand gun ownership. Many Israelis are familiar with guns through the near-universal mandatory military service, yet those wishing to own a gun as civilians must meet a number of strict government criteria. In most cases, only pistols are permitted and licenses are dependent on completing firearms training.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
