Israel’s security cabinet has approved measures to make it easier for Israelis to carry guns after two separate attacks by Palestinians in Jerusalem over the past two days.
These attacks took place after nine people were killed in a raid by the Israeli army in the occupied West Bank.
The new measures also include depriving the attacker’s family members of housing and social security rights.
The full cabinet is scheduled to consider the measures on Sunday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised a “strong” and “swift” response ahead of a security cabinet meeting.
The Israeli army has also said it will increase the number of troops in the occupied West Bank.
“When civilians have guns, they can defend themselves,” controversial far-right National Security Minister Atmar Ben-Goverr told reporters outside a Jerusalem hospital.
The security cabinet said the measures would abrogate social security rights of “families of terrorists who support terrorism”.
The proposals are in line with those of Mr Netanyahu’s far-right political allies who allowed him to return to power last month.
The announcement came as Israeli police said an Israeli father and son were seriously wounded in a shooting by a 13-year-old Palestinian boy in Jerusalem’s Silwan neighborhood on Saturday.
A spokesman for the Israeli police force earlier said the attacker ambushed five people as they were going to pray, with two in critical condition. The 13-year-old boy was shot and injured by passers-by and is being treated in hospital.
In a separate shooting at a synagogue in East Jerusalem on Friday, seven people were killed and at least three others wounded as they gathered for prayers at the start of the Jewish Sabbath. The gunman was killed on the spot.
The man who attacked the synagogue on Friday was identified by local media as a Palestinian from East Jerusalem.
The police have arrested 42 people in connection with this attack.
Israeli Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai called it “one of the worst attacks we have seen in recent years”.
Palestinian militant groups praised the attack, but did not say one of their members was responsible.
Mr Netanyahu called for calm and urged civilians to allow security forces to carry out their duties, while the military said additional troops would be deployed in the occupied West Bank.
“I call on all Israelis once again not to take the law into their own hands,” Netanyahu said. He thanked several world leaders – including US President Joe Biden – for their support.
Tensions have been high since an Israeli military raid in Jenin in the occupied West Bank killed nine Palestinians – both militants and civilians – on Thursday.
After that, rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza, to which Israel responded with airstrikes.
