The 41 Jewish neighbourhoods in Jerusalem for which the move has been announced will join Har Nof, Givat Shaul, Neve Yaakov and Gilo — four neighborhoods on outskirts of the city — as areas in which residents are eligible to obtain a firearms licence.
Israel’s national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir on Monday cleared personal firearms licenses for residents of 41 Jerusalem neighbourhoods, making more than 300,000 Jewish people in the holy city eligible to obtain a gun amid the ongoing war with Iran.
According to a report by The Times of Israel, the move essentially counts as a blanket eligibility for a gun licence for all residents of Jerusalem, regardless of whether they are, or have been, a member of Israel’s security forces.
“Precisely in the shadow of the war and during Ramadan, Jerusalem residents have a basic right to defend themselves and their families,” said the minister, calling on Jerusalem residents to obtain a gun licence.
“Firearms in the hands of responsible citizens constitute an important component in strengthening personal security and enabling an initial response to terror and crime,” Ben Gvir reasoned, adding, “In many cases, it has already been proven that a weapon in the hands of citizens helped thwart attacks and save lives.”
“I call on the residents of Jerusalem: Go get a firearm licence. A weapon saves lives!,” the minister said in his statement, calling on people of the city to apply for licences at the earliest.
The 41 Jewish neighbourhoods in Jerusalem for which the move has been announced will join Har Nof, Givat Shaul, Neve Yaakov and Gilo — four neighbor