I recently reported that Jews in Israel are arming themselves following the attack that caused the country to loosen its gun laws (below). However, the attacks are not limited to Israel. The rise in antisemitic attacks here in the U.S. is causing many Jewish Americans to arm themselves as well. This is despite the overwhelming Democratic Jewish community previously supporting strict gun control.
As Citizens of Israel Scramble for Guns Under Loosened Gun Laws, Jewish Americans Are Also Arming Themselves
It’s not often that I will cite CNN or agree with them on anything. However, I give credit where it is due. In a recent report, the outlet highlighted the rise in Jewish Americans arming themselves in the face of rising antisemitism.
According to CNN, “With threats against American Jews on the rise, many have begun seeking firearms training and purchasing weapons out of fear for the safety of their communities and families, according to interviews CNN has conducted with gun range operators, firearms instructors, and Jews in the US in recent days.”
The ADL (Anti-Defamation League) reports a nearly 400-percent increase in preliminary antisemitic incidents reported year over year. This includes a recorded total of 312 antisemitic incidents since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. And if the rise in pro-Palestinian protests is any indication, this will not be decreasing anytime soon.
The real kicker is that according to CNN, “A rise in American Jewish gun ownership would come as a noticeable shift for a group that is historically liberal and a majority of which are registered Democrats.”
What makes this significant is that the increase in antisemitism is coming predominantly from the Democrat party.
Not to mention, according to the CNN report, “‘In terms of the Jewish community overall, I know most people do not own guns just because most Jews are liberal and want gun control,’ Mark told CNN.”
Likewise, 70% of Jewish respondents favored gun control over American rights in a 2018 American Jewish Committee poll.
A Drastic 180
Although the American Jewish community is predominantly Democrat and anti-gun, its citizens are now scrambling for firearms and training. This is a drastic 180 as it finds the party it supports violently turning on its community.
“Now more than ever with the rise in antisemitism, I feel we have a responsibility as Jews to speak up and speak out, and also know how to protect ourselves because the reality is people don’t seem to want us around, and it’s hard,” Dani, who declined to share her last name for her safety, told CNN.
According to the report, Gene Petrino, a retired SWAT commander in Coral Springs, Florida, 15 – 20 Jewish people a week are seeking training since the war broke out. Likewise, New York State Jewish Gun Club founder told CNN it’s hard to keep up with the increase in demand. The club normally offers the class required for a pistol permit once or twice a month for around twelve people.
“Since what happened in Israel, we have done three classes at probably four or five times the size,” he said.
The report states, “He’s been shocked, he shared, at the type of people joining his classes recently – people who were previously unaccepting of guns as a means of safety who now see the value in it, he said.”
Maybe right now isn’t the time to be pushing for more gun control. However, it really isn’t surprising that those pushing for more gun control are also the ones targeting Jewish Americans. That should tell you everything you need to know about the actual gun control agenda.
Spoiler alert: it’s about control.
On October 31, 2023, Joshua Swanagon reported:
It is probably no surprise to most, but after the attack on Israel, causing it to loosen its gun laws, license applications and firearm purchases are surging in the country. Not to mention, Israel’s government is arming civilian security forces, and many civilians are taking firearm classes. Of course, if the country hadn’t disarmed its populace, it wouldn’t be scrambling to defend itself.
Civilians Scramble for Firearms as Israel Loosens Its Gun Laws
As we reported below, following Hamas’ attack on Israel, the Minister of National Security loosened the country’s gun laws. Although the remaining laws are still stricter than even the most gun-controlled cities in the U.S. it was something. As a result, many scrambled to arm themselves.
According to the Jewish News Syndicate, “On Tuesday, the local Maccabi health clinic was teeming with crowds scrambling for health applications for gun permits. It was tense but congenial as doctors scrambled to fill out forms.”
The outlet also stated that many were quickly stocking up on food and water, “But the gun lines were longer.”
A volunteer at the town hall claimed that within two days, they had helped 90 people apply for gun licenses. This did not take into account the people who scanned and filled out the documents without help.
“The idea is that people should take responsibility for the situation. People need to protect themselves, so we don’t have a situation like they had in the south. We encourage them to buy guns and are helping them with registration, but nobody needs to panic,” said Igal Lahav, Mayor of Karnei Shomron, who heads a council of Shomron mayors.
The Guardian reports, “The head of the Samaria regional council in the West Bank distributed 300 assault rifles to ‘civilian security squads’ last week, in coordination with Ben-Gvir’s ministry and the Israeli military.”
This is on top of the 10,000 previously distributed, according to Breitbart News.
Training has increased as well.
The Guardian states, “‘Normally we have three training sessions per week for new licenses, but right now, since 7 October, we are doing two per day,’ said Yael Gat, the director of Caliber 3.
Yet, our government still pushes for gun control and an “assault weapons” ban. Read more below.
On October 17, 2023, Joshua Swanagon reported:
Just when I thought I had seen it all from our current “leadership,” they surprised me once again. We’ve all been witnessing the sheer brutality in Israel, causing its government to loosen its gun laws. Yet how does the Biden administration respond? By calling for more gun control here. I’m not sure how this can even be real.
Biden Admin Pushes Gun Control as Israel Loosens Its Gun Laws
Since the Hamas invasion of Israel last week, we have witnessed countless videos of civilians being torn from their homes and brutally murdered. The scenes were grave and a stark warning of what can happen to an unarmed population. For this reason, Israel decided to relax its gun laws (a little) so its citizens can arm themselves (details below).
On Saturday night, following the attack, Biden attended the 2023 Human Rights Campaign National Dinner. You might think the President would address the egregious nature of the assault and commend Israel for arming its people. However, you would be wrong. Quite the opposite, actually.
Instead, the President pushed for more gun control here at home via an “assault weapons” ban:
“…we have to fully implement the most significant gun safety law in nearly 30 years and then pass again the assault weapons ban, which Dianne and I passed. No excuse.”
During the speech, Biden asks, “Who in God’s name needs a weapon with 100 rounds in their chamber!?”
Ironically, this question comes right after Israel increased the amount of ammo citizens are allowed to own to 100 rounds. To any rational person watching events unfold in Israel, this is hardly enough. However, at least it’s more than the previous allowance of 50 rounds.
But it’s still too much for our citizens, according to our President.
VP Harris Doubles Down
And, just to ensure that the virtue signal is shining bright enough for everyone to see, VP Harris doubled down. In a recent tweet, the VP called for Congress to pass an “assault weapons” ban.
So, like her boss, just days after Israeli citizens are dragged from their homes and murdered, she wants to disarm us.
The absolute joke is that she says she is not for taking away our guns. She just wants to ban them. Satirically, the statement was delivered at the “Fight for Our Freedoms College Tour.” We are not dealing with intelligent people.
In addition, she posted another tweet the following day saying that “weapons of war” have no place in society.
For Biden and Harris to say these things during an actual invasion where innocent, unarmed civilians are murdered is mind-boggling. This is tone-deaf at best and democidal at worst.
Keep in mind that this is the same administration that is sending billions of dollars to Ukraine almost weekly. It makes you wonder what is going on when a government arms other countries while trying to disarm its own.
This is a fact not lost on Gun Owners of America:
So, to recap, Israeli citizens are being dragged from their homes and brutally murdered. Our southern border is wide open, with hundreds from the terrorist watch list pouring in. And our cities are erupting with pro-Palestinian/pro-Hamas demonstrations. Yet, our completely tone-deaf government is trying to disarm us for political brownie points.
This administration is going to virtue-signal us to death. I wish I were being facetious.
On October 11, 2023, Joshua Swanagon reported:
For the second time in under two years, the necessity of the Second Amendment is playing out again. Following an unexpected terrorist attack, the Minister of National Security in Israel loosens restrictive gun laws. Like Ukraine last year, the purpose is to arm as many civilians as possible in the face of war. Unfortunately, like Ukraine, it is too little, too late.
Israel Loosens Gun Laws in Attempt to Arm Civilians
As I am sure you are aware, Hamas launched an unprecedented terror attack on Israel over the weekend. Much like Russia’s attack on Ukraine last year, the raid was completely unexpected. And much like Ukraine, the victims were unarmed due to restrictive gun laws.
One of the first targets in the attack was the Supernova music festival early Saturday. In what can be described as a Red Dawn-like attack, terrorists paraglided into the festival, where guns and knives were forbidden. The gun-free zone saw immediate and unprecedented carnage.
According to Newsweek, “Thousands of people were dancing at the Supernova festival early Saturday when the surprise assault on Israel took place. After hearing sirens and rockets go off, festival-goers heard a barrage of gunfire that halted the music and sent crowds scrambling to get to safety. At least 260 bodies have been recovered from the festival site in the Negev Desert in southern Israel, according to rescue agency Zaka.”
In response to the attack, Israel’s Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir called for broadened standards for issuing firearm licenses.
In a tweet, via Google Translation, he stated, “Today I directed the Firearms Licensing Division to go on an emergency operation, in order to allow as many citizens as possible to arm themselves. The plan will take effect within 24 hours.”
According to reports, currently, only approximately 2% of the entire adult population has a personal gun license. Likewise, current law only allows pistol ownership, and rifles are off-limits. Additionally, civilians are only allowed to possess 50 rounds of ammunition. Finally, you have to be at least 20 (older in some cases) and have a specific need to own a weapon.
Too Little, Too Late
Like putting on your seatbelt after the wreck, the announcement comes too late for many. Even worse, the new guidelines do too little to make a real difference. The main points are still stricter than even the strictest gun control cities in the United States:
- Any citizen who meets the detailed tests for carrying a private firearm due to self-defense and serving the security forces, and is without a criminal or medical record, will be required to undergo a telephone interview instead of a physical interview, and will be able to receive permission to carry a firearm within a week.
(Self-defense tests: residence in an eligible settlement, rifle veterans 07 and above, officers in the rank of lieutenant and above and combatants in the rank of major and above in the IDF and the security forces, service in special units, firefighters, policemen, and workers and volunteers in the rescue forces). - Any citizen who received a conditional permit to purchase a firearm and did not purchase a firearm during the year 2023 and the conditional license has expired, will be able to purchase a firearm now without the need to submit another application. The exemption will apply to about 4000 citizens.
- Any citizen who deposited his weapon in the last six months due to failure to perform refresher training or renewal training, will be able to receive his weapon back. The exemption will apply to about 1800 citizens.
- In addition, starting next Tuesday, conditional permits to carry firearms will be issued with a permit allowing the purchase of up to 100 bullets instead of 50 today.
Israeli citizens might be allowed to carry a firearm within a week and are now allowed 100 rounds. This was the post in the middle of an ongoing invasion.
Eyes on Our Southern Border
As we know, the United States Intelligence Community was as surprised by this attack as everyone else. That should concern us all. Especially while our southern border is currently wide open and floods of military-age males cross on a daily basis. Who are they? And where are they going?
According to ABC News, “Hamas militants broke through the fences surrounding Gaza on Saturday morning, attacking Israeli soil by land, sea and air.”
It is worth noting that Israel has one of the strongest and most sophisticated borders known to man. We currently do not have a border. Meanwhile, millions of unvetted immigrants have flooded into our country, many military-age males, in the past couple of years. Not to mention, we don’t even know where many of them come from.
However, we do know that hundreds are on the terror watch list. And the celebrations in cities like New York following the attack might be a harbinger.
The MOSSAD, Israeli Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations, delivered a warning to Western nations, including the United States:
Likewise, the FBI released a similar, although more tight-lipped, statement:
“While the FBI does not have specific and credible intelligence indicating a threat to the United States stemming from the Hamas attacks in Israel, we are closely monitoring unfolding events and will share relevant information with our state, local, federal and international law enforcement, intelligence and homeland security partners to ensure they are prepared for any impacts to public safety.”
In addition, many in the Republican party are signaling unease about our near future:
“Today it’s Israel, tomorrow it’s us.”
It’s Time for an Introspection
As our country is being overrun, our Border Czar turned “Gun Control Czar” is trying to disarm American civilians. Twice in a year and a half, we have seen what happens to an unarmed populous. And it is not good.
Two real-life examples in under two years should be enough to make us take a step back and evaluate things. Specifically in terms of gun control. It has played out time and again in gun-free zones throughout the country. And now it is playing out on much larger scales.
Bad guys look for easy targets—and disarmed populations are easy targets. Now is not the time to be virtue signaling for political brownie points. Now is the time to harden our defenses, shut the border down, and secure our citizens.
Let’s not wait until we are attacked from within to ensure our safety. Instead, let’s put the seatbelt on before the wreck. And, for the love of God, stop trying to disarm us, or we will face the same fate.
When terrorists tell you they hate you and want to kill you, believe them.
