BELLEVUE, WA – The outcome of a terror attack at bus stop in Israel, which saw an off-duty Israeli soldier and an unknown number of armed civilians fatally shoot two Palestinian gunmen underscores the importance of an armed citizenry, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms observed.
The Monday attack left at least six people dead and a dozen wounded, the Times of Israel reported. The two terror suspects were from the West Bank, according to published reports.
“The oldest human right is the right of self-defense,” said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. “This right knows no national boundaries, nor is it limited to race, creed, political affiliation or gender. Monday morning in Israel, people waiting peacefully at a bus stop were targeted by a pair of terrorists who made the fatal error of expecting all of their intended victims to be unarmed. Now they’re both dead, thanks to the quick action of an off-duty soldier and one or more armed private citizens.
“We will not be surprised if the international media moves away from this part of the story pretty quickly,” he continued, “because it doesn’t conform to the narrative of civilian disarmament, and because it does confirm that the best way to respond to an immediate and unavoidable threat of grave bodily harm or death is to fight back with whatever degree of force is necessary. That includes using guns to stop a threat and protect innocent lives.
“Following the Oct. 7, 2023 terror attack in southern Israel, which claimed some 1,200 lives, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir pushed to expand firearms licenses for Israeli citizens,” Gottlieb recalled. “We thought it was the right decision, and Monday’s incident certainly vindicated that strategy.
“ Reports say Hamas and other terrorist organizations are praising the attack,” Gottlieb noted. “This needs to be understood by critics of an armed citizenry. When people are being killed or wounded before your very eyes, calling 9-1-1 is not an option. Israel evidently understands this, and it is time for gun prohibitionists here in the United States to admit their crusade of citizen disarmament only creates more defenseless victims who can’t fight back.”