Israeli minister approves gun licences for 18 illegal West Bank settlements

According to the UN, much than 1,800 Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians – astir 5 per time – were documented successful 2025.

Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has approved the issuance of weapon licences to Israelis successful 18 further amerciable settlements successful the occupied West Bank, arsenic the right-wing authorities headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushes to grow amerciable outposts that undermine prospects for a two-state solution.

“The value of the determination lies successful the information that these settlements volition present beryllium capable to taxable applications for a idiosyncratic limb licence,” Ben-Gvir, a far-right minister, wrote connected Telegram connected Wednesday, claiming that the efforts were to “enhance self-defence and summation idiosyncratic security”.

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Israeli settlers person been emboldened by a wide-scale armament programme spearheaded astatine the commencement of Israel’s genocidal warfare successful the Gaza Strip by Ben-Gvir, and the near-total impunity they bask erstwhile carrying retired attacks.

Israelis surviving illegally successful the occupied West Bank person been armed with military-grade weapons ranging from US-made M16s to pistols and drones. Israeli authorities support that holding arms is indispensable for their safety, but section and planetary organisations person agelong documented the organised, forced displacement of Palestinians from their ancestral lands.

Last year, Israel formalised plans to make the illegal E1 colony project, and this year, it is expected to propulsion guardant the program to grow settlements adjacent Jerusalem, the Jordan Valley and crossed Ramallah.

In December, different 19 settler outposts built without authorities support were retroactively approved by Israel’s authorities arsenic authoritative settlements. In all, the fig of settlements and outposts successful the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem has risen by astir 50 percent since 2022 – from 141 to 210 now.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled successful 2024 that Israel’s continued beingness successful the occupied Palestinian territory is unlawful and should travel to an extremity “as rapidly arsenic possible”.

In his statement, Ben-Gvir added that much than 240,000 Israelis person received weapon permits since the enlargement of the policy, compared with astir 8,000 permits issued annually successful erstwhile years.

“An unprecedented number,” helium said, adding that this contributed to “thwarting attacks, preventing infiltration, and stopping attackers adjacent earlier information forces arrived”.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, much than 1,800 settler attacks against Palestinians – astir 5 per time – were documented successful 2025, resulting successful casualties oregon spot harm successful astir 280 communities crossed the West Bank, and besting the erstwhile year’s grounds of settler attacks by much than 350.

A full of 240 Palestinians successful the West Bank, including 55 children, were killed by Israeli forces oregon settlers successful 2025.