ILAs of August 2, 2026, residents of Beersheba in Israel are now eligible to apply for personal firearm licenses under an expanded firearms reform initiated in 2023 by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. This expansion follows a comprehensive review by the Israel Police and the Firearms Licensing Division, which assessed the feasibility and safety of allowing more communities access to firearms. Since the reform began, the number of eligible communities has increased by 126, and the total number of individual gun owners has nearly doubled, reaching approximately 300,000. Over 280,000 citizens have obtained personal firearm licenses, and more than 200 communities across Israel, including parts of Jerusalem, Netanya, and Ashdod, are now eligible. Ben-Gvir emphasizes that expanding access to firearms ensures citizens' right to self-defense and contributes to national security.
Bias read (Conservative): The article frames the expansion of firearm access as a positive development aligned with Itamar Ben-Gvir’s policies, emphasizing self-defense and national security. It highlights Ben-Gvir’s rhetoric ('a weapon in the right hands saves lives') and portrays the reform as a continuation of a 'firearms
