Lax gun distribution is a danger to those with mental illness - opinion

On February 5, General Amir Yardenay ended his life after a long struggle with PTSD. This unfortunate incident could have been avoided if the state had bothered to provide him with adequate PTSD treatment for the difficult scenes he experienced in Operation Protective Edge in 2014. 

Today, while many questions arise about the issue of “the day after” the Iron Swords War, basic provision of assistance, support, and treatment to the mentally ill and traumatized in the current war is disturbingly absent from the public agenda. Despite the protracted struggle for recognition of rights and increased assistance within the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, those who sacrificed everything so that we, the civilians, can continue to lead a routine life in our country remain unanswered and improperly addressed. 

At the same time, the October 7 events triggered an increase in demand for private firearms licenses as well as their availability. This situation threatens the safety of those who will suffer from PTSD after the current war and those around them. Today’s arms distribution is tomorrow’s real danger.

With the outbreak of the war, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced the easing of the threshold conditions for license seekers. This reckless move, which takes advantage of the public’s fear and is intended to promote his support, is a real danger for the day after the war. According to his ministry’s data, more than 235,000 applications were submitted in less than a month from the outbreak of the war.

This is the same amount as those accumulated in 20 years of routine activity. Thus, the Defense Ministry issues an average of 1,700 weapons licenses every day. As of January, there has already been a 40% increase in private gun owners, and the snowball is already in motion. Many of these new gun owners are serving in or graduates of the security and rescue forces who are more likely to be suffering from PTSD.

The government is failing to deal with inevitable post-war PTSD

IN PARALLEL with the increase in licenses, the Israeli government’s ability to deal with the consequences of the fighting is lacking. In May 2021, after the serious incident of Golani veteran Itzik Saidian setting himself on fire, the government decided to implement the “One Soul” reform. The goal of the reform is to formulate and implement recommendations for improving service, recognition, treatment, and increasing the baskets of entitlements for disabled IDF soldiers, and those with mental illness and post-traumatic stress disorder.

However, in January, the State Comptroller’s report on the reform was published. Prepared before the current war, it reveals widespread flaws in the implementation of its recommendations. For example, in 2021-2022, less than 40% of the reform’s current budget was utilized, while there was a simultaneous 50% increase in the volume of requests for recognition of disability. These statistics, unsurprisingly, prove that taxpayers’ money is grossly mis-allocated.

The flaws exposed by the report together with the data from the National Security Ministry should concern us all. Today’s arms distribution is tomorrow’s real danger. The exact numbers of those with mental injuries and trauma in the current war are not yet known, but the outlook does not create a bright future. It is estimated that at least 30,000 Israelis will suffer from PTSD, including thousands of those in the security and rescue forces.

INDEED, responsible distribution of arms enables real self-defense, especially in our country, which is characterized by many security incidents. Even on a psychological level, knowing that there are people with weapons around us creates a kind of sense of security.

However, no government agency bothers to think about the opposite scenario. Many rescue and security forces have already received or are about to receive private weapons. Those who have been present in difficult situations may be a part of the cycle of PTSD in the near future. How is it conceivable that a state that neglects to care for its population also allows them to carry personal weapons? 

The threshold for receiving private weapons and the lack of thought about the day after creates a dark and dangerous future – especially for those who do not know how, or are not provided with government assistance, to deal with the psychological consequences of reality in our country since the events of October 7.

As a result, some who feel abandoned by the government use the weapons on themselves as their last resort. This makes the government liable for endangering its citizens.

The time has come for the government of Israel to stop promoting political interests in the form of huge arms distribution to gain votes from the traumatized electorate. Instead, they should provide appropriate treatment to the people who sacrificed their physical and mental health for their homeland. The government must provide adequate care for its victims and act responsibly in distributing private weapons to those who have not yet been diagnosed as mentally ill.

The writer is a final-year government, diplomacy, and strategy student in the Argov Fellows Program in Leadership and Diplomacy at Reichman University. She hosts the official podcast of the Lauder School of Government and is passionate about strengthening Israel’s connections to the outside world.