Former Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir recently stated: "I am proud of the reform I led – it saved many lives, despite the ire and anger of the skeptics!"
The Otzma Yehudit party has submitted a bill aimed at "honoring armed citizens who saved lives in a terrorist attack." The explanatory notes emphasize: "Time and again, we witness heroic citizens carrying privately licensed weapons, who strive to engage and neutralize terrorists within seconds, thereby saving many lives."
Ben-Gvir announced that, since the outbreak of the Iron Sword War, over 200,000 firearm licenses have been granted to civilians. This marks a doubling in the rate of armed citizens (from two to four percent of the total population).
Following a petition to the High Court of Justice, the Ministry of National Security reviewed 1,144 firearm licenses and found deficiencies in 195 cases. The most serious instances included 29 applicants who received licenses despite failing to meet basic criteria, including one individual with a psychiatric history. In response to these findings, Ben-Gvir remarked: "The media has spent over a year trying to prove that my reform is dangerous, illegal, crazy, and whatnot. And yet, it is now clear that out of the 200,000 licenses issued, less than one-tenth of a percent were problematic." (However, the ministry's own report only examined 0.6 percent of the total licenses, leaving questions about the validity and reliability of the sample.)
The gun reform, based on an expansive firearms licensing policy, presents long-term challenges. Once firearms are distributed to civilians, reclaiming them – even in cases of flawed, dangerous, or improper issuance – becomes exceedingly difficult.
During a December 2023 hearing of the Knesset's "State Audit Committee," Chairman MK Mickey Levy noted: "The committee has evidence that licenses were issued following 40-second interviews, raising concerns that these were granted illegally."
In July 2024, High Court judges reviewed a petition by the "Movement for Quality Government in Israel," and the "Labor Party" against Ben-Gvir, the Firearms Department, the Israel Police, and other entities. The petitioners sought to revoke thousands of firearm licenses issued without proper authority. During the hearing, the judges questioned why the state had not yet canceled these licenses. Judge Ofer Grosskopf asked: "12,000 firearm licenses were distributed by an unauthorized entity – should they remain in private hands while the investigation continues?" He added, "I don't understand. Are we leaving weapons with individuals without confirming their legitimacy?" Judge Yael Willner inquired: "What about public safety?" Ultimately, no firearms were revoked.
The risks of widespread civilian firearm possession were tragically highlighted in a March 2025 stabbing attack at the Haifa Ban Central Bus Station. The incident resulted in four injuries and one fatality. Security guards and a civilian shot the terrorist, but one of the wounded was accidentally hit by the gunfire.
This incident contrasts with the April 7, 2022, terrorist attack on Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv, where a Palestinian gunman murdered three civilians and wounded six others. He was only neutralized the following day.
The investigation revealed that hundreds of armed police officers, soldiers, and Shin Bet agents searched for the terrorist. Dozens of armed civilians, including off-duty soldiers, had joined them, without official direction. (A religious right-wing newspaper even praised a citizen who stated: "I found a knife and joined the armed men.") Authorities concluded that this uncoordinated response posed risks to innocent bystanders. In response, the IDF Chief of the General Staff stated: "Civilians cannot roam among security forces with firearms, independently chasing terrorists. This creates the potential for crossfire incidents."
A similarly chaotic scenario unfolded at the Be'er Sheva Central Bus Station on October 18, 2015. A terrorist armed with a gun and knife killed an IDF soldier, seized his weapon, and opened fire before being shot dead. Ten people were injured in the attack. Amid the chaotic response, an Eritrean asylum seeker was mistakenly shot and later brutally lynched by bystanders.
The concept of "striving engagement" – a core principle of IDF combat doctrine – is not necessarily appropriate in civilian settings, particularly when exercised without proper oversight and responsibility. This applies not only to civilians but also to political and bureaucratic authorities.
The legal advisor to the Ministry of National Security informed the "State Audit Committee" that the Firearms Licensing Department acted hastily, stating: "The department moved forward 'under fire,' with legal oversight introduced only after the fact."
Representatives of civil society organizations who participated in the committee's deliberations noted that the Ministry of National Security actively encourages Israeli citizens to arm themselves and is working diligently to implement this policy. However, insufficient consideration appears to have been given to the potential negative consequences of flooding public spaces with firearms and how these new regulations will impact society. This expansive policy disrupts the balance – both in terms of private and family security, and concerning issues such as suicide and domestic violence – between increasing security in public spaces and protecting public peace. Heightened tensions and public suspicion, fueled by radical and extremist elements, may lead to unjustified firearm use – against Jews and especially against Arab citizens of the country.
The policy shift has also impacted on crime levels. Without adequate oversight, there is a growing risk of state-licensed firearms being misused, stolen, or involved in accidents. Beyond concerns related to the privatization of national security and its effect on state governance, the encouragement of armed civilian intervention in security incidents could inadvertently lead to the increased use of firearms in criminal rather than security-related incidents.
Many civilians who use firearms in such situations lack proper training in rules of engagement. Without sufficient knowledge and experience, they risk causing friendly fire incidents or harming uninvolved individuals. Uncoordinated civilian firearm use can cause chaos at the scene, unlawfully endangering lives.
Civilians carrying weapons should refrain from using them when security forces are present. This also applies to IDF soldiers on leave, who are required to follow the instructions of police forces responsible for maintaining internal security.
The current firearm licensing policy, intended to enhance personal security, is not proportionate to the potential risks it introduces. The uncontrolled, unskilled, and sometimes irresponsible use of firearms may ultimately cause more harm than good.
