Hundreds of thousands of IDF combat veterans are now eligible for gun licenses under new criteria put in place by Israel’s Minister of Public Security & Strategic Affairs, Gilad Erdan.

Minister Erdan’s plan to increase the number gun license holders in Israel calls for approving those who he feels are highly skilled and professional, specifically the hundreds of thousands of veterans of infantry units, persons certified by the IDF as ‘rova’i 07’ and higher (combatant rating).

In addition, Minister Erdan decided that officers and commanders would not be required to return their arms and weapons license after they were released from active reserve duty and could request to continue carrying weapons even after they were released from active reserve duty.

Minister Erdan: “Many civilians saved lives during terror attacks and in an era of ‘lone wolf’ terrorism – as the more skilled civilians carrying weapons, the greater the chance of thwarting attacks without casualties and reducing the number of casualties. As a result of the new policy, the potential of skilled firefighters in the public sphere will increase by over half a million employees and graduates of the security forces and IDF and thousands of volunteers from the Israel Police and rescue organizations. Concurrently with the expansion of the entitlement to receive a license, the minister enacted regulations that significantly upgrade the training process for new license applicants and holders of existing licenses.

The main changes in the new criteria:
• A license for firearms will be granted to combatants with training of 07 or more in the IDF and the Israel Police, and an arms license for officers from the rank of lieutenant and non-commissioned officers from the rank of sergeant-major will be permitted, without an active reserve duty (even after completing their reserve service);
• Volunteers in appropriate units of the Israel Police (in accordance with police procedures), as well as workers or volunteers in MDA, ZAKA and the United Hatzalah;
• Bearers of a license for private firearms in certain criterion, and for a period of 10 years or more they can continue to hold firearms, even without proof of compliance with the test.

Minister Erdan said that “skilled civilians who hold weapons in the public sphere contribute to the sense of security, constitute an important defense line against individual attacks and serve as temporary power multipliers, thereby strengthening public safety. The new policy balances the need to protect the public who may be at risk and the need to prevent the public from cases of misuse of guns.”

Responses:
Moshe Teitelbaum, CEO of United Hatzalah, said that “EMTs, paramedics, and doctors who provide speedy medical assistance in the framework of their network of volunteers to save our lives often come to security events when the event is still underway. Carrying personal weapons will help them to maintain the safety and security of the civilians in the area and even to end a security event at the beginning. We thank Minister Erdan for the decision to include our volunteers and the workers of United Hatzalah in the diagnostic teams together with the rest of the rescue forces with confidence.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)