Reducing small arms in the civil sphere

We don't know who she is, but we know we can save her life

Gun Free Kitchen Tables is a project of Isha L’Isha Feminist Center

Founded in 2010, Gun Free Kitchen Tables (GFKT) is a small arms disarmament and gun control initiative. Challenging claims that more guns mean more security, we work to disarm civil space in Israel and the territories under its control. With its feminist analysis of militarization and its effects on human security, GFKT problematizes and disrupts the normalization of guns in Israeli society.

The GFKT Coalition of 16 feminist, civil society and human rights organizations, employs multiple strategies including: research, independent monitoring and fact-finding, interventions for preventive legislation and policy-making, advocacy, court petitions and civil suits exacting accountability.

GFKT opposes reckless small arms practices and policies – in street protests, courtrooms, classrooms and parliament. Careful coalition work and close coordination with Palestinian feminist groups in Israel, sustains and steadily expands the local movement for gun control.

Guns in the streets of Tel Aviv – a guided tour for soldiers in the Neve Tzedek neighborhood, 10 April 2013
Photo: Esty Tsal

of the women murdered in Israel in 2018 were shot to death with firearms

0 %

Licensed civilian firearms in total (2016)

firearms of Police, Border Police, Prison Services, Knesset Guard (estimation)

Military firearms
(estimation)

Unlicensed firearms (held mostly by Palestinians in Israel) in 2013

Only six controllers are responsible for 148,000 private gun owners

In November 2018, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel and Itach-Maaki Women Lawyers for Social Justice filed a petition on behalf of the Gun Free Kitchen Tables Coalition – Isha L’Isha Feminist Center, opposing a new firearms policy greatly expanding the presence of guns in public and private spaces. The plaintiffs are ten women’s and civil society organizations.

Since the time the petition was filed, Israel’s government has committed repeatedly to provide detailed information and conduct an in-depth review of the issue, yet continues to apply to the court for multiple postponements.

The film was prepared by the Anti-Weapon Project of Al-Tufulah Center of Nazareth Nurseries Institute, and Women against Violence

Personal Testimony – Firearms in Your Life

The form allows you to upload a testimony, either anonymously or with your contact details. Either way, we won’t publish your contact details. If you submit the testimony anonymously, we won’t know or have them either

The testimonies concern all firearms in civil space and private and family sphere

(including ceremonial tanks placed in public spaces in honor of Israel's Independence Day and firearms borne by soldiers during their service)

We reserve the right not to publish specific testimonies, due to considerations of relevance and off-topic content

Testimonies will be published after minimal editing, designed among other things to protect the source's privacy.

If we have her contact details, we'll submit proposed editing suggestions to her for approval before publication

Gun Free Kitchen Tables

We don't know who she is, but we know we can save her life

Gun Free Kitchen Tables is a project of Isha L’Isha Feminist Center

Personal Testimony – Firearms in Your Life

The testimonies concern all firearms in civil space and private and family sphere

We reserve the right not to publish specific testimonies, due to considerations of relevance and off-topic content

Testimonies will be published after minimal editing, designed among other things to protect the source's privacy.

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