Could Israeli School Security Methods Serve as Model for US Schools?

Shooting attacks on schools in Israel are rare and the Jewish state’s preventive security measures could be a helpful starting point for improved school security in the U.S. This comes at a time of public debate on how best to secure schools in the wake of the Texas school shooting that left 19 students and two teachers dead at the Robb elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

There have been six terrorist attacks on Israeli schools since 1974. That low figure can be explained by the multiple layers of security Israel employs and the engagement of civil society in aiding the nation's law enforcement.

David Hazony, a writer and commentator on Israeli and American affairs, said that Israel "puts effort into identifying potential assailants through behavioral profiling."

Israel could not prevent attacks if its efforts were based solely on armed security guards at each school, he said. Israel "invests heavily in monitoring profiles of people.” It has a "complex, multi-layered approach" to security that uses intelligence networks to examine the acquisition of weapons and social media activity, he said.

Brig. Gen. (Res.) Amir Avivi, the founder and CEO of the Israel Defense and Security Forum (IDSF) NGO, noted that Israeli "civilian society understands the shortcomings of government, and civilian society is helping" and stressed that the volunteers are not a "vigilante" force or "militia," but will be under the strict control of the Border Police.

"They will be trained and equipped by Border Police officers and will operate in various areas, including in schools," he said. Avivi said the program is an "example of how civil society can help government institutions provide security." (FOX / VFI News)