Israel expands gun permits to residents of Jerusalem Jewish neighbourhoods
Israel's Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir has authorised residents of Jewish neighbourhoods in Jerusalem to carry firearms, local media reported on Monday.
Under Ben Gvir’s order, residents of 41 Jewish neighbourhoods in the city can now apply for a licence to carry a gun, part of the far-right minister’s wider policy of expanding civilian gun permits.
Reports suggest that around 300,000 Jewish residents of Jerusalem could now be eligible.
Previously, only those living near the separation wall were permitted to carry firearms, as the areas were deemed high-risk due to their proximity to the occupied West Bank. The latest expansion now includes the western neighbourhoods of the city.
"Especially amid the war and during Ramadan, Jerusalem residents have a basic right to defend themselves and their families," Ben Gvir told Israel Hayom on Sunday before issuing the order the day after.
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"My policy is clear: a weapon in the right hands saves lives," he added.
On Monday, he wrote on X that the move aimed “to strengthen the personal security of Israel’s citizens,” noting that more than 240,000 Israeli civilians have obtained gun licences since he took office in December 2022.
"In many cases, it has already been proven that weapons in the hands of civilians helped thwart attacks and save lives," Ben Gvir said.
"I call on the residents of Jerusalem: go obtain a gun license. A weapon saves lives," the leader of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party concluded.
Ever-expanding gun licenses
According to the Freedom of Information Movement, an Israeli NGO promoting transparency, Ben Gvir’s “Arming Israel” policy has led to a doubling of civilians holding gun licences since he took office.
As of November 2025, over 330,000 Israelis held a gun licence, almost half of whom had no prior shooting experience, after Ben Gvir eased the eligibility criteria.
The NGO noted that 99 percent of applicants now pass their shooting tests, in part because they are allowed to complete the required interview over the phone rather than in person.
Haaretz reported that last month, Israeli authorities admitted in a High Court hearing that 195 licence holders were asked to return their firearms due to irregularities in their applications.
In 2023, police launched an investigation into allegations that Ben Gvir’s office had illegally approved gun licences. Three employees were questioned over the issuance of thousands of permits.
The Freedom of Information Movement also highlighted the public safety risks of the policy, noting that “all firearm murders of Jewish women were carried out with legally licensed weapons”.
Data from the Michal Sela Forum, an NGO tackling domestic violence, shows a sharp rise in family-related killings: since 7 October 2023, 53 women were murdered by a family member, a 33 percent increase compared with the period before Ben Gvir took office.
In 2025 alone, 30 women were killed by a relative, averaging roughly one death every 11 days.
According to Israel’s Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs, around 280,000 women are currently exposed to physical or non-physical violence from partners, underscoring concerns about the broader social impact of the expanded civilian gun permits.
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