Mischmar Ezrachi
The ha-ha-Mishmar Ezrachi (Hebrew: המשמר האזרחי ), often abbreviated to Masch'az ( משא"ז ) is a voluntary vigilante group in Israel .
The traditional Israeli police organize the vigilante group and provide weapons and equipment. There are many vigilante barracks spread across the country. The head of one of these bases is always a police officer, but the other staff consists of civilian volunteers. The standard weapon of the vigilante group is usually the M1 carbine , which is carried openly. Firearms are a part of everyday life in Israel. The vigilante group is required to intervene automatically and use firearms in the event of an attack before the police and military even arrive.
The vigilante group was founded on July 10, 1974, and the Ma'alot massacre is said to have played a decisive role. In 2004 the vigilante group had 70,000 volunteers, 28% of whom were women. Between 1974 and 2004, over half a million people are said to have registered for the vigilante group.