Expert’s Chilling Warning: “Hundreds of Thousands Waiting for the Right Moment”

Lt. Col. (res.) Adv. Maurice Hirsch, a senior researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs and former head of the IDF’s military prosecution in Judea and Samaria, is sounding the alarm: the massive stockpile of illegal weapons in Palestinian hands could fuel a repeat of the October 7 massacre — on an even larger scale.

Hirsch warned that despite Israeli law mandating life imprisonment for illegal weapons possession, military courts often hand down lenient sentences of just one to two years. “This has created a situation where offenders feel immune,” he explained, “while at the same time being financially rewarded by the Palestinian Authority.”

The “Carrot and Stick” Initiative

To reverse this dangerous trend, Hirsch proposes a two-stage plan.

“This is the ‘carrot and stick operation,’” Hirsch said. “Those who take the opportunity to hand in weapons will benefit. Those who don’t — will pay a heavy price.”

A Stark Choice for Israel

Hirsch stressed that Israel now faces a fateful decision: either continue the current lenient policies and risk another catastrophic attack, or adopt a firm new strategy that will drastically reduce the threat of illegal arms and restore deterrence.

“Hundreds of thousands of weapons are out there, waiting for the right moment,” he cautioned. “The question is whether Israel will act decisively now — or pay a terrible price later.”