Israel is set to expedite arms requests in response to a shooting in East Jerusalem over the weekend that left seven people dead, including a 70-year-old woman.
The move was one of several that Israel’s Security Cabinet announced Saturday night.
Members of the Zaka Rescue and Recovery team check a body after a shooting attack near a synagogue in Jerusalem, Friday, January 27, 2023.
(AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
“Firearms licensing will be accelerated and expanded to allow thousands of additional citizens to carry weapons,” read a statement on the Israeli Prime Minister’s Facebook page.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir told reporters over the weekend: “When civilians have weapons, they can defend themselves.”
The measures also include depriving the attacker’s family of social security rights. The entire cabinet was expected to consider the move on Sunday.
IRAN UNDER DRONE ATTACK DAYS AFTER US AND ISRAEL LAUNCHED JOINT MILITARY EXERCISE IN THE REGION
A Palestinian gunman opened fire outside an east Jerusalem synagogue on Friday night, killing seven people, including a 70-year-old woman, and wounding three others before he was shot dead by police, authorities said.
The attack, which occurred as residents observed the Jewish Sabbath, came a day after an Israeli military raid killed nine Palestinians in the West Bank. Friday’s shooting sparked celebrations in both the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip, where people fired weapons into the air, honked their horns and distributed sweets.
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Addressing reporters at the Israel National Police headquarters, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had conducted a security assessment and decided on “immediate action.” He said he would convene his Security Cabinet on Saturday night, after the end of Saturday, to discuss a further response.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
