What You Need to Know: In Israel, open carry of firearms reflects a focus on national defense rather than individual rights like America’s Second Amendment. While citizens may carry firearms, Israeli gun laws are stringent, requiring extensive IDF training and justifications for ownership.

-Israel’s unique security context, including threats from Hamas, Hezbollah, and neighboring tensions, drives its policies. Following the October 2023 Hamas attacks, gun license approvals surged dramatically. Unlike in the U.S., Israel's armed citizenry is vetted and tied to collective defense rather than self-defense.

-For Americans, Israel’s model underscores a balance of gun control and readiness, shaped by constant security challenges.

Why Guns on Israeli Streets Reflect National Defense, Not Individual Rights

Even before I visited Israel in 2009, this reporter knew that I could expect to see guns on the streets. Not because I was heading into a warzone, but because it was a cultural norm in the Middle Eastern state. As a fairly well-traveled individual – I've been to around two dozen countries on five continents – I'm no stranger to seeing soldiers and police carrying firearms in public locations.

It was almost expected in Cairo, and even in modern London.

Terrorism has reared its ugly head in those cities. The armed police in London are part of the "new normal," even as the average police "Bobby" with the ubiquitous dark helmet remains unarmed. For the record, it was more alarming to see the rise in armed police in New York City after 9/11.

As a nearly two-decade resident of the City That Never Sleeps, prior to the terrorist attack I expected to see the boys in blue carrying sidearms. Afterward, it wasn't unusual to see DHS or Coast Guard personnel with H&K MP5s in lower Manhattan, while on several occasions I witnessed NYPD sniper teams conducting drills in the area around Times Square where officers were armed with M14s.

Not Just the Police or Military in Israel

What made Israel different was that it wasn't just the police and military personnel who were so openly carrying firearms – and it wasn't unusual to see U.S.-made AR-15s, or IMI Galil and IMI Tavor X95 assault rifles simply slug over one's back, almost like a fashion accessory. (For the record, I did not just describe the AR-15 as an assault rifle. Many of the AR-15s carried by Israeli citizens are semi-automatic only and therefore should not be described as assault rifles. Whereas the Galil and Tavor X95 appeared to be select fire and would meet the definition)

Now, there are a few things to note.

It is ubiquitous for Israeli Defense Force (IDF) personnel to carry their weapons on leave. Yet, Israel actually has unique gun control laws. The Israeli Public Security Ministry states on its website, that Israeli law "does not recognize a right to bear arms, and anyone wanting to do so must meet a number of requirements, including a justified need to carry a firearm."

As The Times of Israel reported, "Israel's social reality – the large number of firearms on the country's streets – may look like an American conservative's utopia, but it got there via a domineering statist regulatory regime that American gun control activists can only fantasize about."

In other words, Israel seeks to have a well-armed society, where "only the right people are armed" – as in those not opposed to the state in any way. Thus, the Americans who state they support the Second Amendment but complain about a deep state and don't like the "woke agenda" would be quickly denied the right to carry a firearm in the Middle Eastern democracy. That is because Israel doesn't care about so much about "self-defense" as it sees an armed populace (of those who have been carefully vetted) will help ensure its "national defense."

And after the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack that was carried out by the Iran-back Hamas, Israel's government received more than 260,000 by the end of last year. It was approving up to 3,000 per day, up from around 100 approvals.

Israel and Guns: A Trained Populace

There is another important difference in Israel that the most ardent supporters of the Second Amendment probably wouldn't like. Beyond its restrictive gun laws that seek to ensure the right people are armed, it requires those people to be well-trained in the use of firearms – by the IDF.

As NPR reported, Israel "has a mandatory national military service requirement for citizens over age 18, and with few exceptions, guns are restricted to Israelis with weapons training or in security professions. Untrained civilians, including the vast majority of Palestinian citizens of Israel, who are exempt from military service, don't qualify."

To conclude, I have heard for years, those who preach that the U.S. could be like Israel when it comes to allowing citizens to be armed – but even as this reporter is a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, I must take another view. Israelis face living surrounded by potential enemies, and even as they have peace with Egypt and Jordan, both nations were once enemies. At best a fragile peace remains with Syria, while much of the Arab world still won't formally recognize Israel's right to exist.

Israel faces terrorist threats from Hamas and Hezbollah, both of which have charters that call for the Jewish state's destruction. Iran has also vowed to destroy Israel and the two seem closer at war than at any time in the past three decades.

The daily open carry of firearms isn't about exercising anything like our Second Amendment, and it absolutely isn't about personal or home defense. It is about the national defense of Israel.

Finally, as someone who lived in New York City on 9/11 – and whose wife was literally running across the street when the second plane hit the WTC – I understand what a terrorist attack is like. On the flip side, I am also unfortunate enough to have a cousin who was among those shot and wounded at Columbine. Yet, I remain a supporter of the Second Amendment. I'm fine with not being able to carry a firearm when I go into the local grocery store. In fact, I'm grateful I really don't have to – and I'm more grateful that others, who might not be responsible and lack the proper training aren't carrying one either.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

Image Credit: Creative Commons and/or Shutterstock.

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