Former National Security Ministry Official to Be Indicted for Unlwaful Distribution of Gun Licenses

According to the State Prosecutor's Office, Israel Avishar, former head of the Firearms Department, is suspected of allowing unauthorized individuals to issue some 23,000 conditional gun permits and 15,000 final gun licenses. Three employees from Minister Ben-Gvir's office, including his adviser David Bavli, were also questioned in the affair

July 22nd, 00AM July 22nd, 00AM

A former National Security Ministry official will be indicted for the illegal distribution of gun licenses pending a hearing, the State Prosecutor's Office announced on Tuesday.

The official, Yisrael Avishar, served as the former head of the Firearms Department at the ministry and is suspected of fraud and breach of trust.

Avishar resigned from his post in December 2023 following a Haaretz exposé, which revealed that Ben-Gvir's confidants approved thousands of gun licenses without the legal authority to do so.

Three other employees from National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's office, including the minister's adviser, David Bavli, were questioned on suspicion of illegally distributing thousands of gun licenses. A decision regarding their cases has not yet been made, and other ministry employees were also questioned in relation to the affair.

According to the State Prosecutor's Office, "unauthorized individuals issued some 23,000 conditional gun permits and 15,000 final gun licenses" after October 7, 2023. The licenses normally require a shooting range test, however, the ministry appointed 82 "temporary licensing officials" from Ben-Gvir's staff and associates, Knesset employees and National Security Ministry national service volunteers.

The temporary officials received the role after only one day of training, whereas customary procedure requires at least a month of official training.

Licensing clerks are meant to scrutinize applicants, ensure that they meet the mental and physical health requirements for owning a gun, and ascertain that they have received the necessary training in using a gun.

One senior defense official had told Haaretz in 2023 that the conduct was a "recipe for disaster." He added, "They're handing out guns like candy. A gun permit isn't a children's game. There's almost no oversight in the ministry."

Avishar's attorneys said that they had "not yet received the investigation materials in the case," adding that he "even resigned from his position as head of the firearms licensing department at the Ministry of National Security due to a heated dispute" with Ben-Gvir "regarding the expansion of the weapons licensing system after October 7."

Between October 7, 2023 and September 2025, about 200,000 gun licenses were distributed. 172,384 Israelis held permits before the war, according to data provided by the National Security Ministry through a freedom of information request.