Israeli minister approves gun licences for 18 illegal West Bank settlements

According to the UN, more than 1,800 Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians – about five per day – were documented in 2025.Published On 22 Jan 2026Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has approved the issuance of gun licences to Israelis in 18 additional illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, as the right-wing government headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushes to expand illegal outposts that undermine prospects for a two-state solution.“The importance of the decision lies in the fact that these settlements will now be able to submit applications for a personal weapon licence,” Ben-Gvir, a far-right minister, wrote on Telegram on Wednesday, claiming that the efforts were to “enhance self-defence and increase personal security”.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3There is another war Israel is waging – one that is not making headlineslist 2 of 3Israel’s wanted war criminal Netanyahu joins Gaza ‘board of peace’list 3 of 3‘Barbaric new era’: Palestinians, UN slam Israeli demolition of UNRWA HQend of listIsraeli settlers have been emboldened by a wide-scale armament programme spearheaded at the start of Israel’s genocidal war in the Gaza Strip by Ben-Gvir, and the near-total impunity they enjoy when carrying out attacks.Israelis living illegally in the occupied West Bank have been armed with military-grade weapons ranging from US-made M16s to pistols and drones. Israeli authorities maintain that holding arms is necessary for their safety, but local and international organisations have long documented the organised, forced displacement of Palestinians from their ancestral lands.Last year, Israel formalised plans to develop the illegal E1 settlement project, and this year, it is expected to push forward the plan to expand settlements near Jerusalem, the Jordan Valley and across Ramallah.In December, another 19 settler outposts built without government approval were retroactively approved by Israel’s government as official settlements. In all, the number of settlements and outposts in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="3077" data-entity-type="location">East Jerusalem has risen by nearly 50 percent since 2022 – from 141 to 210 now.