Police rejects Azaria's request for gun license
Israel Police determines Elor Azaria, convicted of manslaughter and imprisoned for shooting dead a seriously wounded terrorist, poses a danger to the public; furthermore, police intelligence found no security threat to his safety to justify need for firearm.
The Israel Police rejected a request by Elor Azaria for a gun license, it said on Tuesday.
The former IDF soldier was convicted of manslaughter and imprisoned for shooting dead a seriously wounded neutralized terrorist in Hebron in March 2016.
Azaria was released from military prison in May and submitted an official request to the Public Security Ministry for a gun license, which was rejected by the police who said his actions prove he poses a danger to the public.
Furthermore, police intelligence found no security threat to Azaria's safety.
Several months ago, Likud MK Nava Boker asked the state to allow Azaria to carry a firearm, claiming he was receiving threats and was in danger.
As a result, Azaria was required to file an official request to the Firearm Licensing Department at the Public Security Ministry. The department is required to accept the position of the police, the Health Ministry and other government bodies on an applicant.
Azaria responded to the police decision shortly after, describing it as “another knife in the back and a spit in the face.”
“Two months ago I submitted an application to the Interior Ministry to carry a gun license due to the terror threats made toward myself and my family … not out of fear, but rather out of a desire to be prepared and ready for a situation in which anyone tries to harm my family,” Azaria wrote.
“Today, when I read the news, I came across an article that came from nowhere without any warning saying that it had they had decided to reject my request for spurious reasons, and they claimed that ‘there is no danger to my life or my family,’” the former soldier continued.
According to Azaria, the security forces have a "substantial number" of requests on the issue. "They have evidence", he added and addressed the suggestion that he is "dangerous to the general public"
“I never thought, in my dream I would hear these words in relation to me. As a reserve combat soldier am I good enough to carry a weapon? After everything I have given and been through for the security of the state, it hurts and tears me apart inside. I will repeat: Despite everything, I have no other country,” he concluded.
Normally, the Israel Police intervenes in gun license requests for two reasons. Either it objects to giving a person a license to carry a firearm because he poses a danger to the public due to a criminal record or intelligence information concerning him, or if there's an individual reason to grant someone a gun license even if he fails to meet the criteria—such us a mayor receiving threats.
The police determined that Azaria "does not meet the criteria for the police to provide an individual recommendation to allow granting him a license to carry firearms."
