Israel’s High Court of Justice ordered the government to reconsider thousands of gun licenses issued after October 7, saying in an interim ruling that the procedures by which the permits were approved violated the law.
The Justices also set a November 20 deadline for the state to investigate ways to suspend the licenses.
Acting Supreme Court President Yitzhak Amit and justices Yael Wilner and Ofer Grosskopf said in their ruling that they “were provided with data regarding the extent of licenses issued by parties who are not licensing officials according to the Firearm Law, 1949, and the number of permits issued by those parties in violation of the authority given to them.”
In the immediate aftermath of Hamas’s October 7 attacks, the Firearms Division of the National Security Ministry received 120,000 requests for gun licenses, swamping authorities. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir streamlined the process as Israelis continued to file applications. Interior Security Minister made expanding the number of legally licensed gun holders in Israel a priority of his office, and he succeeded in doing that to the chagrin of his opponents.
“It has been proven that weapons save lives, it has been proven that thanks to the weapons, many lives of citizens have been saved,” Ben-Gvir tweeted in response to the High Court. “185,000 citizens who received a weapon or a conditional permit fear that the court will revoke their license and prevent them from protecting their safety and the safety of their family.”
Israeli citizens do not have a legal right to privately carry firearms and the country has strict gun control laws. Applicants must meet minimum age requirements, have no criminal record, and provide a declaration signed by a doctor that they are physically and mentally healthy.
Applicants must also explain to the Firearms Licensing Division why they need to carry a gun, and permission is not automatic. The type of gun an Israeli is permitted to carry may depend on the reason given to the authorities.
A license allows an Israeli to carry one specific gun, and a separate permit is needed for each additional gun. Bullet sales are tightly regulated and carriers must also get government permission to sell their gun.
Licenses must be renewed every three years. This process includes a health declaration signed by a doctor, confirmation of completing a refresher training course and a firearm check to verify the gun is in working order.
