Yavne, Rosh HaAyin and Even Yehuda added to Israel's armed permit-eligible list

Israel's National Security Ministry said Yavne, Rosh HaAyin and Even Yehuda have been approved as places whose residents may apply for personal firearm licenses, following a professional review by Israel Police and the Firearms Licensing and Supervision Division.

The decision is part of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir's expanded gun policy. In total, three cities and 14 settlements in the Hof HaMivne regional council were added to the eligibility list. The ministry said approval still depends on meeting all legal criteria and conditions.

The newly approved Hof HaMivne settlements are Kfar Truman, Beit Arif, Hadid, Beerot Yitzhak, Nofekh, Mazor, Bnei Atarot, Rinatya, Nahalim, Ahisamakh, Ben Shemen, Gintaton, Kfar Daniel and Kerem Ben Shemen.

The ministry said the new localities join dozens of others across the country that have already been designated eligible under the reform, which was expanded since the start of the war. It said that more than 250,000 citizens have received personal gun licenses since the expansion, describing the figure as unprecedented. Ben Gvir welcomed the move, saying, "I am proud to continue the revolution and add more cities, settlements and councils across the country to the list of eligible areas. Residents have a basic right to defend themselves and their families. My policy is clear: weapons in the right hands save lives."