Israel: Gun permit complaints surge 500 per cent, State Comptroller reveals

Tel Aviv [Israel], July 3 (ANI/TPS): Complaints about gun permit delays have skyrocketed, with a 500 per cent surge in grievances flooding Israel's National Security Ministry in 2024, the State Comptroller revealed Tuesday.
The Ministry received 1,436 complaints in 2024, making it the second most complained-about government body after local authorities, said the report, written by State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman. The surge stems from an unprecedented wave of over 400,000 firearm permit applications submitted in the wake of October 7 -- more than twice the number of all Israelis who had gun licenses before the Hamas attack. According to Englman's report, the process of receiving a gun license could take months -- and in some cases up to a year.
The State Comptroller, also known as the State Ombudsman, periodically releases reports auditing Israeli preparedness and the effectiveness of government policies.
Of the 400,000 requests, over 217,000 received conditional approval, with 165,000 finalized as permanent licenses. About 177,000 applications were rejected.
Right after October 7, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir eased restrictions on permits. Eligibility was expanded to include more former combat soldiers, as well as active emergency medical responders and firefighters. In the first weeks after the attack, eligible citizens without a criminal record or health issues could obtain a gun license within a week after a telephone interview with the ministry's Firearm Licensing Department.
However, it took the ministry months to introduce an online form for submitting the necessary documentation, which Eglman's report said was not equipped to deal with the surge of applications.
Moreover, the ministry failed to recruit additional staff to process the requests. In the aftermath of October 7, Ben-Gvir's appointees -- along with Knesset staff and others -- were given temporary authority to approve gun licenses. Police later investigated several for issuing permits unlawfully. The High Court ruled in November that licenses were issued "seemingly without authority."
Said the comptroller's report, "The 500 per cent increase in complaints to the Ministry of National Security, with over 85 per cent found justified, indicates serious systemic problems in handling the surge in permit applications."
The complaints were part of a broader pattern of war-related grievances. Of 21,592 total complaints filed in 2024, nearly 4,000 were directly related to the war, with 67 per cent found justified or leading to corrective action.
Israeli citizens do not have a legal right to privately carry firearms and the country has strict gun control laws.
Applicants must meet minimum age requirements, have no criminal record, and provide a declaration signed by a doctor certifying that they are physically and mentally healthy.
Applicants must also explain to the Firearms Licensing Division why they need to carry a gun. Permission is not automatic, and the type of gun an Israeli is permitted to carry may depend on the reason given to the authorities.
Licenses must be renewed every three years. This process includes a health declaration signed by a doctor, confirmation of having completed a refresher training course, and a firearm check to verify the gun is in working order. (ANI/TPS)