The Landscape Surrounding Guns in the US, Israel, and the Disputed Territories

JERUSALEM — Americans are not quiet about Israel and the disputed territories. Neither are they quiet about gun deaths in their own country.

Are the cases similar? No. Details, history, and explanations vary. But they are similar in reflecting serious problems. Neither country is perfect. Both have their defenders who can explain and justify what exists. But the faults of each ought to lessen the emotions displayed about the other.

A recent American sin occurred in Uvalde, Texas. Nineteen students and two faculty members died in a school shooting.

But that was not alone. According to a CNN report, “So far in 2022 there have been at least 39 shootings in K-12 schools, colleges and universities.”

According to the Pew Research Center, “Three-in-ten American adults say they currently own a gun, and another 11% say they don’t personally own a gun but live with someone who does. Among those who don’t currently own a gun, about half say they could see themselves owning one in the future.”

Suicide with a gun is actually more common than murder in the US. But according to Pew, “Nearly eight-in-ten (79%) U.S. murders in 2020 — 19,384 out of 24,576 — involved a firearm.”

According to the BBC, “Guns overtook car crashes to become the leading cause of death for U.S. children and teenagers in 2020. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that over 4,300 young Americans died of firearm-related injuries in 2020. While suicides contributed to the toll, the data shows that homicides form the majority of gun-related deaths.”

Among the reasons for owning a gun is for self protection. Research shows that the U.S. has 120.5 guns per 100 inhabitants. That’s more guns than people. Israel has 7.3 guns per 100 residents. It’s not clear if that includes the IDF and other security forces.

The U.S. far leads other countries in gun ownership per 100 residents. Serbia is listed in second place, with 37.82 guns per 100 residents.

The virtual unlimited right to bear arms rests on the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which was passed in 1791.

“A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

A thorough review of the limits imposed on this Amendment would proceed for pages through measures of legislation and attempts by state and local authorities, as well as the federal government. It involves age restrictions, as well as those checking for sound health and criminal records. the types of guns allowed, and whether they may be concealed or carried openly. It exists against the corporate and individual opponents of an unfettered access to weapons, upheld by the National Rifle Association.

Israel is also an imperfect country. It’s primary sin concerns the Palestinians, and the lack of a clear border between an Israeli and Palestinian territories. It’s all made murkey in the extreme by Palestinian denial of Israeli legitimacy, and a long history of violence.

Points of conflict begin with the lack of a Palestinian state. There’s also the issue of Jerusalem, a very mixed city, with the Temple Mount or al Aqsa somehow separated, and its formal control given ostensibly to the King of Jordan. Muslims but not, apparently, Jews, can pray on the Temple Mount. Recently a group of Jews were arrested for expressing the Shma Yisrael on that site.

Nineteen Israelis have been killed by Palestinians or Israeli Arabs so far in 2022. About five times as many Palestinians have been killed by Israeli security forces.

A bias in Google and other international sources is clear. Looking for the numbers of Israelis killed, when searching in English, gets a long list that puts the emphasis on the larger number of Palestinians killed. There are conclusions about the killing of the Palestinian-American journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh. While Palestinians refuse to share the bullet taken from her body, they—and numerous other sources—attribute her death to intentional Israeli actions.

Official Israeli sources have come close to admitting the possibility of responsibility, but have avoided the issue of it being intentional. She was close to a fire fight, and the findings are not clear as to who fired the shot. Or if it was aimed at her.

There are Israelis who aspire to complete control of the West Bank, but they do not control the government. Israel’s government position opposes the idea of a Palestinian state, but not a Palestinian area. For the most part, Palestinians are left to control that area, but Israeli security forces enter it, fairly often, in search of those who endanger Israel and its citizens. There is settlement in areas that others consider to be Palestinian. But the settlement is controlled. Enough? Depends on who is expressing a view.

Is Israeli incursion into the disputed territories the moral equivalent of American gun deaths?

Yes or no, again depending on who is judging.

Jerusalem Day featured close to 2,000 Jews on the Temple Mount, with the police interfering on those who broke the rules. Then some 8,000 paraded through the Old City to the Western Wall, with flags flying and dancing participants. More than 3,000 police protected them, and the Old City from them.

Commotions there were. What the crowding will do for the spread of coronavirus, we’ll see.