This morning (Tuesday), MK Sukkot appealed to Defense Minister Yoav Galant with a demand to triple the number of long weapons in Judea and Samaria, to strengthen the sense of personal security among the residents.
MK Sukkot, who serves as the chairman of the subcommittee of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee for Judea and Samaria affairs, explained in his letter, “Since the outbreak of the Swords of Iron War, the residents of Judea and Samaria feel significant decrease in their personal security ”
MK Sukkot emphasized his appreciation for the IDF and the security forces, as well as the concerns of the residents, “Despite the very important activity of our forces throughout Judea and Samaria in counter-terrorism, and to arrest Hamas operatives and other terrorist operatives, the images of the infiltration of the settlements (in Southern Israel on October 7th) and the possible terror scenarios do not allow the residents to sleep in peace. The danger is immediate and lurks behind the fences in all areas of Judea and Samaria,” Sukkot wrote to Galant.
Sukkot explained that “the danger intensifies even more when we are aware that many fighters in the IDF’s regular formation and fighting reserves are made up of heroic residents from all over the Judea and Samaria, who during an emergency may not be at home, because they are engaged in fighting in other sectors. This reality, along with the fact that some of the settlements have only one access road, and besides the recent thinning of the security forces there creates a reality of danger and fear of the future.”
Therefore, according to him, the distribution of long weapons should be increased. “Only one thing gives the community members a real sense of security: the possession of weapons that will allow them to defend themselves, until additional forces arrive in an emergency, God forbid. The events of Simchat Torah (October 7th) proved that long weapons can be the difference between a community that burns down completely and one that survives and prevents the terrorists from entering it. Heroic soldiers and civilians in the communities who took up arms saved hundreds and thousands of civilians.”
At the same time, Sukkot noted that “the expansion of the parameters regarding the distribution of licenses for holding guns has already proven itself several times, and has resulted in the saving of dozens of citizens’ lives all over the country. Now it is necessary to carry out a similar action throughout Judea and Samaria and to change the parameters and allocations of weapons, so that the number of long weapons in these areas, will triple itself,” Sukkot emphasized.
In conclusion, Sukkot explained the simplicity of this operation: “This operation can be carried out quickly and immediately. The criteria are relatively easy to define and will be based on giving weapons to those who already hold a license to possess weapons and also to veterans of combat units, for example. Distributing such a significant amount of long weapons will bring the settlers the peace they deserve, like the rest of the country’s citizens.”
Sukkot’s letter was sent after security that had been increased for the settlements in Judea and Samaria since the October 7th massacre has now been reduced. The IDF is aware of the concerns and therefore stated that at the same time as the reduction of the forces, more sophisticated defense systems were established and that the security around the settlements, which had been advanced even before the war, remained unchanged.
In addition, the IDF clarified that local fighters who were released from the units protecting these areas will still be able to carry long weapons even though they are no longer in active reserve service. Sukkot’s letter was sent to further increase the sense of personal security for the residents of Judea and Samaria, and to provide a response to emergencies – in the hope that there will be none.
