National Defense Minister Itamar Ben Gvir ordered the arming of first response teams and settlements and the acquisition of 10,000 additional firearms.
In the first, immediate stage, 4,000 assault rifles were rapidly acquired from an Israeli plant to be handed out to first response teams immediately. The minister also decided on the voluntary appointment of Deputy Commissioner (ret.) Shimon Lavi as project director to "recruit and arm civil combat."
At the same time, the ministry purchased combat accessories including helmets and vests to be handed out to those signing off for rifles. The weapons will be provided to first response teams around the country, with an emphasis on settlements next to the border and border towns in the north, center, and south, mixed cities, and settlements in Judea and Samaria. The weapons will be distributed to hundreds of settlements containing civilian Border Guard first response teams, and settlements lacking first response teams will form them.
"Preparing a Response for Operation Guardian of the Walls 2"
After the outbreak of the war, the minister instructed the police, firefighting and rescue service, and the prison service as well as National Security Ministry teams to prepare to provide a response to "Guardian of the Walls 2" and the overall security dangers involved, including the infiltration of Hezbollah forces into settlements on the northern border.
Ben Gvir stated that "We will turn the world upside down to make the settlements secure. I've instructed the massive arming of civilian first response teams to provide a response in towns and cities and to not leave unprotected settlements. There will be preparation for Operation Guardian of the Walls 2. I therefore asked Shimon Lavi who is an excellent officer and was the commander of the Northern District in the police to concentrate the matter of weapons distribution and I thank Shimon for his volunteering, this is a life saving project."
