The IDF team that examined the integration of women in combat roles in the IDF this week recommended that the Chief of Staff establish a team of fighters in the 669th Rescue Unit, as well as establish a framework of female combatants in one of the infantry brigades.
This is what Israel Today has learned.
According to the recommendation, initially it will be a pilot only, and the frameworks that will be set up will be for women only.
Later, the women will be integrated into mixed teams with the men.
According to the outline that is being formulated, the integration of the fighters in the infantry brigades will most likely begin in the Nahal brigade or the Givati brigade, and they will not be in the assault echelon, but will be integrated as a mobilization or collection force.
On the other hand, the Air Force is not satisfied with the recommendation to include women as combatants in 669, despite the fact that the unit currently employs doctors and paramedics, and the unit's combatants are sometimes flown by women as well.
It should be noted that the chief of staff has not yet received the recommendations, but will have to decide on the matter by next Tuesday, when the IDF will be required to respond to petitions filed against it in the High Court on the matter.
IDF fighters in special units, Photo: Oren Cohen
Unit 669 in action, Photo: Archive: Unit 669
The team that examined the integration of women in the army was established by Chief of Staff Kochavi following two separate petitions to the High Court of Justice, which concerned the integration of women in combat roles in the IDF. Was discontinued, and another petition was filed by four plaintiffs.
The IDF asked the High Court for time to examine things in depth, and as stated, they set up a professional team to examine the integration of women.
The committee was divided into four sub-teams, which examined several key issues, including: the physiological aspects of women's service in the IDF; analysis of combat roles and their characteristics; human resources aspects such as deployment and sorting, reserve and command development; The IDF's completion of its examination will end on May 31, that is, next Tuesday.
Meeting the task first
Members of the committee have hinted in recent months that its conclusions will not be groundbreaking, and will not open the gates of IDF combat units to women, since the leading principle for the military is compliance with the mission, and only then equality. Precedes the value of equality, and due to physiological aspects the vast majority of women are unable to enlist in assault units.
Will he accept the recommendations ?, Photo: Yossi Zeliger
It will be recalled that until 1995, the vast majority of women's positions in the IDF were non - combat roles.
Among other things, mixed battalions such as the Karkal were established, and in light of their success and the need to evacuate the combat units for training, the IDF expanded these battalions, and today there are no less than four light infantry battalions involved.
To this must be added the integration of the women in the seamen's course, in the air defense system, in the Home Front Command's rescue and rescue brigade, in the artillery corps and in the border. In total, thousands of combatants currently serve in the IDF.
Do not charge
In 2017, the IDF began a pilot to examine the integration of women in armor for border defense missions only, but the pilot was stopped. After a petition from two participating tank commanders, the chief of staff decided to return the women to tanks, for defense missions only.
About a year ago, armored combatants were first deployed to complete their training on the Israel-Egypt border.
Needless to say, the women are not an organic part of the IDF's maneuvering armored brigades, and they are not expected to storm enemy territory in the war.
But despite much progress in the last 20 years, about 10 percent of IDF positions remain closed to women. "To the sea of the future.
The good news of the integration of women in the 669s and one of the infantry brigades is significant, but it is not at all certain that this will be the big change his enlistment will expect.
The IDF spokesman responded: "On the issue of integrating women into additional combat roles, a comprehensive examination was conducted by a professional team.
The professional team forwarded to the chief of staff his conclusions and recommendations on the matter.
Were we wrong?
Fixed!
If you found an error in the article, we'll be happy for you to share it with us
