Controversial Israeli official says his country can learn from America's gun laws
Israel’s controversial National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir recently visited the U.S., where he met with Jewish groups, law enforcement officials and politicians, as well as facing several clashes with protesters.
The shouting critics, however, did not appear to bother Ben-Gvir, who was a right-wing activist in his youth.
Ben-Gvir spoke with Fox News Digital about his U.S. visit, highlighting his trips to Mar-a-Lago, Yale and New York. He noted that he felt a shift in Israel-U.S. relations since President Donald Trump's return to the White House.
"Under Biden’s administration, I was considered persona non grata. Under Trump, I was welcomed at Mar-a-Lago and was able to speak," Ben-Gvir told Fox News Digital. He added that having "an American president who supports us and stands behind us makes a difference" in wartime.
Trump was not the only politician who met with the Israeli firebrand. Several high-profile Republicans, including Reps. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., Michael Lawler, R-N.Y., and Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., met with Ben-Gvir on Capitol Hill.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee, which Mast chairs, posted a photo of the chairman with Ben-Gvir and wrote that the two discussed America and Israel’s shared security interests. Mast is well versed in both American and Israeli security needs as a U.S. Army veteran and former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) volunteer.
Prior to his meeting with Mast, Ben-Gvir had the chance to visit his home state where he saw something that he wanted to take back with him to Israel: gun culture.
Ben-Gvir has long been an advocate for wider distribution of firearms in Israel, and while he was visiting the U.S., he took time to see how America handles guns. He had the opportunity to visit both a shooting range and a gun store, which he said was "fascinating."
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"I was surprised by the quantity and types of weapons available. Even I haven’t reached that level," Ben-Gvir told Fox News Digital.
He spoke about how critics have accused him of arming militias, which he denies. When speaking with Fox News Digital, Ben-Gvir said that the weapons he distributed in Israel "saved many lives."
"I believe we need to learn a from the Americans. One of the important lessons is their policy on weapons," Ben-Gvir told Fox News Digital. "I’m not sure I would distribute arms to the same extent, but I definitely believe in expanding access because citizens have the right to defend themselves."
Gun culture in Israel has changed since the Oct. 7 massacre. Before the attacks, Israel was strict about who was eligible to obtain a firearm. Pre-Oct. 7, firearm licenses were restricted to those who live and work in high-risk areas, licensed tour guides and those who served with Israeli police or IDF security forces, among a few other specified categories, according to an Israeli government website from 2019.
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Since Oct. 7, Israel has seen a rise in applications for firearm permits. While Ben-Gvir worked to streamline the handgun application process prior to the attacks, he instituted additional reforms after the massacre. According to the Times of Israel, these reforms included changes to military service requirements for those seeking a license. Additionally, he expanded eligibility requirements to include national service members who have no criminal record, history of violence or mental health issues.
"We need to allow as many citizens as possible to be armed. It gives people a sense of security—when someone has a weapon in their pocket, they feel safer," Ben-Gvir told Fox News Digital.
He added that he had been fighting to arm communities near Gaza but said people "didn’t listen to me. After Oct. 7, I was proven right. It became clear how necessary it was to provide more weapons to civil defense squads."
However, he is proud of his work distributing weapons in the area near Gaza and establishing civil defense squads there. "Thank God, it’s working," he said.
Amelie Botbol contributed to this report.