Re: Toi’s comment about me or my comment: I am neither joking nor clueless. I noted that gun crime – which for purposes of this discussion does not include acts of terror, like blowing up or shooting up occupied restaurants, buses or other public gathering places – is a smaller problem in Israel compared to the US. I’m not sure why, and I’m not familiar with Israeli gun laws, though another poster (charliehall) said they are stricter than New York’s. And you suggest that some Israelis “would go bonkers on the palis” in the absence of the rule of law. I’m guessing that to “go bonkers on the palis” means to kill Palestinians in a reckless and wanton killing spree that denies their humanity or relationship to Avraham Avinu. But, as you say, Israeli law seems to discourage your acquaintances from wanton acts of murder, so I guess you recognize that laws sometimes work at controlling behavior.
And to all you folks invoking gun confiscation as a threat to Jews (or anybody else), please note that no major or minor politician in the US is proposing gun confiscation – not Obama, not Bloomberg, not anyone – they just want to keep guns away from crazy people and known criminals.