Palestine has raised alarms following an announcement by Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir regarding the inclusion of hundreds of thousands of Jerusalem settlers in the list of those eligible to obtain firearms. Many of these settlers reside in settlements amidst Palestinian neighborhoods, a move viewed by Palestinian authorities as inciting violence and legitimizing further aggression against Palestinian citizens. The Jerusalem Governor's Office emphasized that expanding the issuance of gun licenses encourages an already volatile environment where settler violence has been escalating.

In a statement, the Jerusalem Governor's Office denounced Ben Gvir's announcement as a "racist provocation" and a dangerous step that could lead to more crimes against Palestinians, already facing increasing attacks from settlers. The statement pointed out that the Israeli government's policies represent a public and official incitement to violence and crime outside the law, effectively providing radical extremists with a license to take the law into their own hands, in alignment with their extremist, hate-driven ideologies.

The consequences of such policies are stark, with the Jerusalem Governor's Office noting that 140 Palestinians have been killed in the city over the past five years, half of whom were children, a staggering result of official policies that incite violence and systematic brutality by occupation forces and settlers. This alarming situation underscores the urgent need for addressing the mounting tensions and violence in the region, as the Israeli government appears to exacerbate an already dire reality for Palestinian residents.