MK Nir Barkat (Likud) has submitted a new bill that will allow discharged fighters to carry weapons and neutralize terrorists throughout the country.
"In the wave of terror in Jerusalem, a third of the attacks were thwarted by armed civilians, a fighter who is trusted to fight in Lebanon will be able as a citizen to neutralize a terrorist and save lives," he told Israel Today.
Today, the Department of Homeland Security limits the ability of discharged combatants to obtain a firearms license.
According to existing criteria, discharged combatants with rifle training of only 07 and over are entitled to a firearms license under certain conditions and depending on the place of residence.
Last July, the Minister of Internal Security, Bar-Lev, announced that he intends to further tighten the criteria for obtaining a firearms license.
The new bill submitted by MK Barkat stipulates that any discharged fighter with a rifle training of 05 and over will be able to obtain a weapons license in accordance with the criteria.
If the law is approved, the number of civilians carrying weapons will increase threefold, which Barkat claims will allow a quick thwarting of every terrorist and save the lives of innocent civilians.
Nir Barkat, Photo: Coco
Eligible to have 07 rifle training are only frontline fighters from infantry brigades and special units only, and also in accordance with limited criteria.
In contrast, armored combatants, border guards, combat engineering, artillery, combat gathering, navy fighters and many others with combat training - are not eligible.
For example, a Border Police fighter who deals with defense missions in Jerusalem or Judea and Samaria is not entitled to carry a weapon upon his release, despite his previous training.
Barkat wrote in the explanatory memorandum to the bill: "There are more than 100,000 illegal weapons in the Arab sector. Out of this illegal stockpile of weapons came murderous terrorist attacks ...".
According to him, the police claim that the operational reality does not allow a police officer to be placed on every street corner, or at any store entrance, or shopping center. "Which will be based on a civilian response that will help the security forces ... In the wave of terrorism that befell Jerusalem in 2015, a third of the attacks were thwarted by armed civilians who prevented mass murder campaigns."
He told "Israel Today" yesterday: "When I was mayor of Jerusalem and we were dealing with a wave of terrorism, I called on the citizens to carry weapons and so a third of the attacks in Jerusalem were thwarted by armed civilians, I am one of them. This is the order of the day."
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