"We will become Chicago": how will the expansion of arms licenses affect Israel? | Israel today

The latest wave of terrorism has re-flooded the demands for the expansion of gun licenses for civilians.

In "Israel Hayom" we decided to find out if the experts what the consequences of easing the criteria might be and whether such a move would indeed contribute to increasing security on the streets or rather the opposite.

Former Police Commissioner Assaf Hefetz supports easing the granting of gun licenses to people and is not afraid of chaos or the worsening of cases of violence. In a conversation with "Israel Today" he says: "Even before I was commissioner and when I was commissioner, I was in favor of easing the distribution of weapons and on granting licenses for weapons.

In today's reality and in the past reality of terrorist attacks, a citizen with a weapon can help and prevent a disaster.

"Now, I know that the women's lobby opposes this because they say that husbands will murder women with weapons. So I don't think it will increase the murder of women because a woman can be killed even today with a stone or a stick, so I don't think the situation will change and be different from the situation today." .

Former police commissioner Assaf Hefetz, photo: Gideon Markovich

Retired Superintendent Aryeh Amit, who spoke to Israel Hayom, referred to the current reality and the intention to extend the licenses to military veterans.

According to him, in these tense days, every person who owns a gun should carry it and licenses should be given to deserving people in a simpler process.

However, he does not trust the Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gabir on the matter, and hopes that the person responsible for this will not hand out weapons to anyone who wants them.

"As a person, I go everywhere with a gun in my pocket, even to the supermarket," explains Amit, referring to the current situation, "there are already many people with gun licenses today, but unfortunately these people do not carry their guns. This is turning a blind eye to the situation today and to Faced with the situation in the past. All these years we have been in a very problematic situation in the field of terrorism. Therefore, as soon as responsible people, who are supervised by the state, operate from a range and practice shooting while carrying their weapons, then they create a force multiplier that helps the police and the state."

Guns seized in thwarting smuggling at the Lebanese border, photo: IDF spokesman

The retired superintendent emphasizes that "On this issue, I do not agree with the panic that is being broadcast by various organizations, which say that there will be more murders within the family and more discharges of bullets. The reality is completely different, and in many cases, including the latest attack in Jerusalem, those who prevented or interrupted the attack were civilians carrying weapons or Soldiers who were in the area off duty or also a policeman who carried a weapon and was not on duty.

"That's why I am very much in favor of allowing military veterans and people who deserve it to carry weapons and I am in favor of easing the rules. Except that I qualify my words and hope that the dam will not be completely opened and everyone who demands will receive a weapon. At this point I do not trust the current Minister of Internal Security and I hope that whoever is responsible for The distribution of the licenses will be a serious and responsible person, and weapons will not be distributed for any reason except to responsible people who deserve it."

retired superintendent Aryeh Amit,

"There are enough people with weapons"

Retired sub-superintendent Ephraim Ehrlich Kremshnit, strongly opposes the relaxation in the field of weapons and says it is a recipe for chaos, unnecessary shooting of innocents and increasing violence in Israel which is already high.

"Today there are already enough people in Israel with a gun license that they go with. That's why this relief will flood the streets with weapons from people you can't really trust, because they lowered the criteria and allowed more people to get a gun," Ehrlich clarifies.

From the thwarting of the combined attack in Ariel.

Citizens can become a force multiplier, photo: Ehud Amiton/TPS

The retired deputy superintendent warns: "There will be chaos, for example in an attack a lot of people will run with drawn guns, shooting each other or any Arab or anyone who looks like an Arab. There was already an attack in Dizengoff in the past where people ran with drawn guns and miraculously no bullets were fired.

"In this way, in fact, the country will turn into Chicago and I really don't want that. Besides, today on the road you notice a person, at best you get punched and at worst a person pulls a knife. Now think about the reality that people have weapons, there will be people who in that case will use firearms to Settle fights on the road. It will be real chaos. After all, there are enough crazy people in the country."

Ephraim Ehrlich Kremshnit, photo: Koko

"Furthermore," Ehrlich adds, "people will not take care of their weapons properly and criminals will easily steal weapons and thus a lot of firearms will flow into the underworld, that's what will happen. By the way, a criminal investigation is opened for the loss of weapons, but if weapons are distributed to anyone, how Will there be a criminal investigation? Who will investigate all the loss of weapons? Even today, the police find it very difficult to investigate serious crimes.

"Therefore, instead of making it easier to get a weapon and creating chaos, I advise the Minister of Internal Security to increase the number of people in his office, so that he does not have to wait eight months for a weapon license, but those who deserve to receive a weapon will receive it faster. This is the right solution and all the rest are magic solutions , patents that are pulled out after every terrorist attack without thinking about the consequences of the decision."

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