Gaza Conflict: Israel arms civilian security squads amid offensive against Hamas

Despite what police described as “exemplary” behaviour thus far, authorities stated on Sunday that Israel has organised hundreds of volunteer security squads in the two weeks since the Gaza conflict broke out and is arming them in case there is further Jewish-Arab rioting.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrations during the most recent Gaza conflict in 2021 were sometimes violent and took place among Israel’s 21% Arab population.

The present conflict, which has seen hostilities escalate along the Lebanese border and in the occupied West Bank, was set off by a deadly mass-infiltration by Hamas gunmen on October 7. This has raised concerns for Israel’s already strained internal ethnic relations.

Based on social media posts, Israeli police have detained scores of Arab people on suspicion of incitement and sympathy for Hamas. Several solicitors for those arrested have described the measures as unlawful and designed to stifle dissent at the war.

Inspector-General Kobi Shabtai, the police chief, claimed that such monitoring allowed officers to stop violent outbursts before they started.

“There has been exemplary conduct here,” he told a parliamentary review panel, “and almost zero incidents, with all those pinpoint events being dealt with at the local level and with less media resonance”.

“There is dialogue with the (Arab) leadership and in parallel we are poised and ready for any scenario.”

Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who warned that the turmoil of 2021 would occur again in this conflict, has authorised a relaxation of the rules governing the issuance of firearm licences to private individuals. Most Arabs are excluded from these requirements, which often require candidates to have military experience from serving in Israel.

The organisation of volunteer security teams to patrol the streets and support police has been another step. Since October 7, 527 such squads, according to Shabtai, have been formed.

Eliezer Rosenbaum, the ministry’s deputy director-minister, said MPs that 20,000 rifles had been ordered for delivery to such squads, with a further 20,000 on the way. He added that helmets and flak jackets would also be given to volunteers.

He made no more mention of the specific type of gun used. Ben-Gvir has uploaded videos to the internet showing him distributing M-16 or M-4 assault firearms.

Social activist Naella Gelkopf-Belais from the Jewish and Arab city of Haifa advised police to cooperate with local government officials and to watch out for “the formation of private militias.”

“We in the city are on a tinderbox,” she said.

Security teams would report to the police, according to Shabtai.

“It is good that there will be a lot of security squads and force, but caution must be exercised with this,” he said. “What is permitted and what is forbidden must be understood, and care must be taken that no finger is too light on the trigger.”

(With agency inputs)