Ben-Gvir expands gun licences to Jewish residents across Jerusalem

Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has announced that residents of all Jewish neighbourhoods in Jerusalem will now be eligible to obtain gun licences based solely on their place of residence.

According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the decision will allow around 300,000 additional Jewish residents of Jerusalem to apply for licences to carry firearms.

Previously, gun licences were generally granted to residents of settlements in occupied East Jerusalem, but the new policy expands eligibility to a much wider segment of the city’s Jewish population.

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The move means that tens of thousands of residents, including members of the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community, may now obtain licences even if they have limited experience with firearms. Many Haredim do not serve in the Israeli military, where weapons training typically occurs.

Ben-Gvir encouraged residents to apply for gun licences, stating that civilian access to weapons “saves lives, especially during wartime and Ramadan.”

“Jerusalem residents have a fundamental right to defend themselves and their families,” he said.

Over the past year, Ben-Gvir and Israeli police have sought to expand civilian gun ownership by widening eligibility criteria in several cities, including Ashkelon, Kiryat Gat and Ashdod.

However, the policy has faced legal scrutiny. Last month, the Israeli Supreme Court identified irregularities in 195 gun licences issued during Ben-Gvir’s tenure, ordering dozens of individuals to return their weapons.

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