NGO to AG, police chief: Probe Ben-Gvir's gun permit policies

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana should be investigated for causing unqualified people in the National Security Ministry to approve gun permit requests, the Movement for Quality of Government petitioned Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara, Israel Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai, and State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman on Tuesday.

MQG wrote their petition in a letter following reports that unqualified people, such as National Service members, were tasked with approving requests for gun permits even though the law requires those approving the requests to be qualified to do so.

“These reports raise the concern that the gun permit process has been handled illegally with Minister Ben-Gvir and MK Ohana intentionally bringing employees who are not qualified to debate and approve permits in opposition to the law and in a way that could endanger lives,” wrote MQG.

As such, the organization requested that Baharav-Miara, Shabtai, and Englman begin an investigation into the gun permit process in the National Security Ministry, and especially Ben-Gvir’s and Ohana’s conduct in the matter.

Advanced gun distribution policy

Ben-Gvir advanced a policy of gun distribution following the events of October 7, setting up civilian emergency response teams equipped with rifles in cities around the country and lowering the requirements for gun permits.

While many have expressed doubt as to the effectiveness and safety of this policy, the question of civilians with weapons was debated more in the last week following the accidental killing of Yuval Castelman during last week’s terror attack in Jerusalem.

Castelman, who had a civilian gun permit, was shooting at the terrorists when a couple of soldiers responded to the incident and seemingly mistook him for one of the terrorists and shot him.

Following the incident, Ben-Gvir continued to defend his policy, claiming that the more civilians have weapons, the more lives can be saved in terror attacks.

On Monday, former head of the Firearms Department in the National Security Ministry Israel Avisar became the latest in a series of officials to resign from the ministry. He announced his resignation after admitting in a Comptroller Committee meeting that unqualified people were tasked with approving gun permits.

In the days leading to his resignation, Avisar had asked Ben-Gvir to reconsider his weapons policy, but the minister had refused.

“The minister’s policies for distributing weapons to the citizens of Israel who meet the criteria is clear and ongoing,” said Ben-Gvir’s office. “Whoever doesn’t continue to carry out the policy in accordance with the minister’s instructions and becomes anxious because of the attacks of the Left in committees certainly cannot remain head of the Firearms Department while Israel is at war and more qualified citizens need to be armed.”

The statement went on to note that anyone who receives a gun must have approval from a doctor and the police.