Israel to rearm civil security teams with 10,000 assault rifles.

In a bid to improve the security of border regions, mixed Jewish-Arab towns, and West Bank settlements, Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir announced the purchase of 10,000 assault rifles for the civil security teams. The announcement was made on October 10, 2023, following reports that some civilian security teams were left unarmed during a recent attack by Hamas militants in southern Israel.
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Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir announced the purchase of 10,000 assault rifles for the civil security teams (Picture source: Wikimedia)

Ben Gvir, who heads the Otzma Yehudit party, said 4,000 of the rifles had already been acquired from an Israeli manufacturer and would be distributed immediately. The new weapons will be accompanied by helmets and bulletproof vests, providing comprehensive protection for civil security teams.

The move is part of a broader effort to strengthen Israel's internal security infrastructure. “We are going to turn the world upside down so that cities are protected. I have given instructions to massively arm civil security teams to provide solutions for cities and villages,” said Ben Gvir. He also hinted at preparations for a "Guardian of the Walls 2", in reference to the May 2021 conflict with Hamas that saw severe intercommunal violence in Israel's mixed Jewish-Arab towns.

Civil security teams in Israel, often referred to as "Border Police" or "Magav", are typically equipped with a range of small arms to respond to various security situations. Commonly used weapons include the M16 assault rifle, Tavor carbine, and Glock pistols. However, over the past three years, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have removed assault rifles from some civilian teams due to repeated thefts, leaving them vulnerable to attacks like the one carried out by Hamas last Saturday.

The IDF Spokesperson's Unit confirmed that the army and the ministry were distributing weapons to civil service teams, but did not immediately clarify whether they had coordinated the distribution campaign, nor specify the type of weapons to be provided.