Israelis are taking up arms following Hamas attack: Concerns over alignment with far-right agenda

Israels far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, welcomed a crowd in the coastal city of Caesarea for a ceremony to distribute firearms. More than 50 assault rifles were displayed on tables behind him.

In recent weeks, the controversial politician has been traveling across Israel, distributing guns to civilian members of security squads. This initiative aims to increase Israeli citizens' access to firearms in response to the recent Hamas attack. The Ministry of National Security plans to establish teams to effectively respond to any future terror incidents.

The success of volunteer security units in southern Israel, in pushing back Hamas gunmen on October 7 in certain areas, has led to an increase in membership for the initiative.

Since then, the Israeli government has established approximately 700 volunteer security squads, operating under the command of Israeli police. This response addresses the widespread insecurity in the country following the deadly attack by Hamas militants, which resulted in the estimated death of 1,200 people in Israel that day.

According to a press release, Ben Gvir stated that in the initial days of the war, there was less devastation in areas where weapons were present.

Critics view this as a component of a far-right agenda aiming to aggravate Israeli-Palestinian tensions, particularly in the Israeli-held West Bank. Ben Gvir, the leader of the Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party, reportedly promised to supply 10,000 firearms to various towns and cities in Israel, including Israeli settlements located in Palestinian territory, as reported by the New York Times.

Weapons will be distributed to squads nationwide, with a focus on communities near the border fence in the north and south, as well as mixed cities and settlements in Judea and Samaria (

). This statement was released by Ben Gvir's office, and it was shared by the Jewish Power party and seen by CNN, which used the biblical names for the West Bank.

A premature Palestinian baby lies in an incubator at the maternity ward of Shifa Hospital in Gaza on October 22, 2023.

Mohammed Al-Masri/Reuters

Doctors are urgently working to save the lives of newborns in the midst of Israel's ongoing battle against Hamas near Gaza's largest hospital. Palestinians express concern that these weapons will be directed against them. Mariam Barghouti, an analyst and writer from Palestine, explained that Ben Gvir's commitment essentially permits a further escalation in the killing of Palestinians, a tragic pattern that has persistently occurred in the West Bank, she informed CNN.

Violence in the West Bank has surged following Israel's declaration of war on Hamas last month. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, at least 176 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or Jewish settlers.

The West Bank and East Jerusalem are considered occupied territories by the United Nations and numerous foreign countries. Consequently, Israeli settlements in these areas are viewed as illegal under international law. However, Israel maintains that the status of the West Bank is contested and rejects the illegality of its settlements. Additionally, Israel regards all of Jerusalem as its sovereign territory. Some members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet, such as Ben Gvir and far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, advocate for the annexation of the West Bank.

Abdelathim Wadi, a resident of Qusra in the southern region of the West Bank city of Nablus, tragically lost his brother and nephew in an attack carried out by armed settlers while they were en route to attend the funeral of four other Palestinians, he revealed.

When CNN asked Ben Gvir at the Caesarea event last week whether his actions were inciting violence against Palestinians, CNN was kicked out of the ceremony.

A civilian security squad member holds a rifle at an event attended by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

William Bonnett/CNN

Ben Gvir, in a later statement to CNN, expressed his belief that the formation and arming of security squads will enhance the chances of survival for numerous Israeli families facing a similar attack to the one that occurred on October 7. The statement emphasized that the responsibility for arming and organizing these squads lies with the Israel Defense Forces in Judaea & Samaria, rather than with Ben Gvir or the police.

Causing chaos

In order to ensure the safety of the citizens of Israel, it is essential that the minister's vision and actions are aligned. Had his perspectives been heeded in the months leading up to the tragic event, the present day could have been characterized by a different and more secure environment, the statement emphasized.

Ben Gvir, a previous convict for supporting terrorism and inciting anti-Arab racism, was on the fringes of the Israeli far-right before his party and other extremist figures strengthened Netanyahu's ruling coalition, which is considered the most right-wing in Israel's history.

Drawing its primary support from Israeli settlers in the West Bank, Ben Gvir's party has recently come under scrutiny. Last week, Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu, a member of Ben Gvir's party, suggested that Israel should consider using a nuclear bomb on Gaza as a potential solution to deal with Hamas. Eliyahu later clarified that his remark should not be taken literally.

Outside the sports hall in Caesarea, where the ceremony was taking place, a small group of demonstrators gathered to protest Ben Gvirs arrival in their neighborhood. Among the chants of "fascist," protester Roy Malkan accused the minister of inciting tension in the West Bank and intentionally instigating riots among Israeli Palestinians, as stated to CNN.

Netanyahu declines to respond to CNN's inquiry about his willingness to assume accountability for the October 7 assault.

Those opposed to the widespread dispersion of weapons argue that rather than jeopardizing the possibility of weapons ending up in the wrong hands, the government should allocate resources towards bolstering the police force and the military.

Ben Gvirs Facebook page shared a video showing politician embracing controversial far-right rapper Yoav Eliasi. This occurred after the rapper received a rifle at a Tel Aviv security squad weapons ceremony. Ori Givati, a former tank commander for the Israeli military and advocacy director of NGO Breaking the Silence, stated that the rapper has long incited hatred against Palestinians, activists, and himself personally. Givati believes that arming individuals like the rapper only serves to highlight the chaos Ben Gvir aims to create.

CNN has reached out to Eliasi for comment. He addressed criticism of him in a November 12 post on Instagram, saying: "I am certified and trained by the police."

Go, arm yourself

According to a 2017 report by the Small Arms Survey, a Swiss nonprofit organization that tracks global firearms holdings, there were approximately 557,000 registered and unregistered guns in Israel, which translates to 6.7 guns per 100 people. This number is significantly lower than the United States' rate of 120 guns per 100 people. In October, Israeli officials estimated that around 300,000 Israelis would be eligible for new licenses. Guy Ben-Porat, a politics professor at Ben-Gurion University in Israel, mentioned that while he understands the concerns of the wider Israeli population, who feel neglected by the military and government and therefore demand weapons, he believes that Ben Gvir has been using this opportunity to promote his long-standing goal of arming Jewish civilians.

Protesters and an anti-protester argue outside an event attended by Ben-Gvir in Caesarea, Israel, in November 2023.

According to Ben-Porat, William Bonnett/CNN highlights the importance of reducing arms in the country. He points out that the presence of illegal guns among Arab citizens of Israel has been contributing to gang-related violence. Despite being 20% of the population, this community has long been demanding stronger measures to address criminal violence.

"There is a prevalent gun culture fueled by people's insecurities, leading them to acquire firearms. This has resulted in localized disputes escalating into full-blown gun battles," remarked Ben-Porat, an expert in minority policing. However, Ben-Porat believes that the solution does not lie in arming Jewish citizens, but rather in implementing measures to disarm the population.

Contrarily, the security squad members participating in the Caesarea event hold a different viewpoint. They argue that the gun acquisition process is tightly regulated, requiring a thorough background check and evidence of prior military experience. Additionally, individuals with previous experience in law enforcement, national or civil service, or those with an exemption, are eligible as well, as indicated by the volunteer sign-up sheet. It is noteworthy that a significant portion of Israelis have already completed compulsory military service. In fact, during Israel's recent call for 300,000 reservists in October, a number nearly equivalent to the total size of the US military reserves, despite Israel's population being 34 times smaller than the US.

Educator Liat Eisner, one of the new recruits, emphasized that her decision to join the volunteer security unit was driven by pragmatism. "We are not extremists. We are not obsessed with firearms. We are concerned citizens who refuse to be victims again," she stated.

Eisner clarified that she does not support Israeli politics and has previously protested against Prime Minister Netanyahu's efforts towards judicial reform. However, her priorities have shifted since the beginning of Israel's conflict with Hamas.

Reported by CNN's Nada Bashir and Celine Alkhadi.