Israeli minister approves gun licences for 18 illegal West Bank settlements

As the right-wing government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presses to expand illegal outposts that stifle the development of a two-state solution, Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir approved the issuance of gun licenses to Israelis in 18 additional illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The decision is based on the fact that these settlements will be able to submit personal weapon application applications, according to far-right minister Ben-Gvir, who claimed the efforts were intended to “enhance self-defence and increase personal security.”

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Israeli settlers are encouraged by a large-scale armament campaign spearheaded by Ben-Gvir at the start of Israel’s genocidal war in the Gaza Strip, as well as the near-total impunity with which they carry out attacks.

Israelis who reside in the occupied West Bank have been given military-grade weapons, including pistols and drones, from US-made M16s. Local and international organizations have long documented the organized, forced displacement of Palestinians from their ancestral lands, despite Israeli authorities’ claim that having arms is necessary for their safety.

Israel’s plans to expand settlements near Jerusalem, the Jordan Valley, and across Ramallah were formalized last year, and now it is expected to move forward.

Another 19 settler outposts that had been constructed without government approval were retroactively and legally recognized by Israel’s government as official settlements in December. Since 2022, there have been 141 to 210 settlements and outposts in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem, totaling nearly 50%.

In a 2024 decision, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared that Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory should end “as soon as possible.”

Since the policy’s expansion, Ben-Gvir’s stated that more than 240, 000 Israelis have been granted gun permits, compared to the 8, 000 permits that were issued annually in the previous years.

He continued, “An unprecedented number,” adding that this “helped to thwart attacks, prevent infiltration, and stop attackers even before security forces arrived.”

More than 1,800 settler attacks against Palestinians were documented in 2025, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, leading to more than 350 new settler attacks per year. About five per day resulted in casualties or property damage in 280 West Bank neighborhoods.