Israel to probe allowing Israelis greater access to firearms

Israeli Minister of Internal Security Yitzhak Aharonovitch said on Tuesday that Israel will look into the possibility of easing restrictions on Israeli citizens carrying firearms, including settlers who volunteer with “civil guards” and the police, local Palestinian newspaper Al-Quds reported.

The newspaper commented that this would give Israelis, even settlers illegally living in occupied Palestine, more opportunities to harm Palestinians under the pretext of “self-defence”.

Speaking to Israeli Radio, Al-Quds quoted Aharonovitch as saying: “In the coming hours, I will look into relieving the restrictions on taking up arms.”

He noted that this would apply to anyone who already holds a firearms license, such as bodyguards and army officers, even when they are off duty. “This way, more eyes and hands will be available to act when there is a terrorist attack,” he said.

Meanwhile, Aharonovitch pledged to increase the Israeli practice of administrative detention, arresting and imprisoning Palestinians without charge or trial, as well as increase the number of checkpoints and add further restrictions to certain neighbourhoods in occupied Jerusalem.

In addition, Al-Quds quoted the security minister as saying that the government “would redeploy additional reinforcements from the borders’ guards unit” and “call for volunteers to take up arms in order to protect the synagogues”.

After Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a televised address about his government’s pledge to intensify the crackdown against Palestinians in the holy city, calling it “a battle over Jerusalem”, Aharonovitch asked Israelis to be “patient and steadfast”.