The Knesset has passed, for its second and third reading, an amendment to the Firearms Law which would allow all soldiers who finish their military service to get a gun license, even if they’re released before they turn 21, the minimum age for firearms licenses.

The amendment, initiated by MK Aliza Lavie (Yesh Atid), would mostly affect women, as their standard draft of two years has them out of the army while they are still too young to apply for a gun license.

The previous legal situation blocked women from many professional fields that require gun licenses, such as security, where newly-released soldiers are in high demand.

After the amendment, newly released soldiers of any age will be immediately allowed to apply for a gun license.

MK Lavie commented, “We are correcting here more outdated legislation, which is appropriate only for the life-stories of men [according to their age of release]. The amendment will assist employment, answering the growing need for security workers, and will also increase equality in the workforce.

“Female employment and employment in general begins at this point: female soldiers are released from the IDF, and they must not be exposed to gender discrimination in their first steps into the world of the workforce.”

The amendment is expected to affect men soon as well, when changes are implemented which will have all soldiers in support positions serving only two years and three months.