A big step for the integration of women in the army: The IDF intends to announce that it intends to open the Engineering Unit for Special Tasks (Yahalam) for the service of women.
According to the outline, the women will probably be integrated into a unit dedicated to women only and will be added to the bomb disposal unit (SS) in the unit. The IDF has not yet officially announced this, but this is the direction to be taken.
Yahalam is an elite unit, quite a few of whose activities are classified. The way in which the women will be integrated into the special engineering unit is still being examined and a decision has not yet been made on which sector they will be placed in. Permit, set the weight they are allowed to carry.
Fighters in the IDF. Soon also in the elite units ?, Photo: IPI
As a result, following demands related to gender integration in the IDF, the organization set up a team to examine the issue in the various combat units. About a week and a half ago, we revealed in Israel Today that the IDF decided to include women in the 669 rescue and rescue unit. The infantry - in Givati or in Nahal.
As we published then, the intention is to integrate them in the mobilization or collection department.
Shortly after the publication, the IDF Spokesman issued an official statement stating that an official decision had been made to include women in 669 without harming the operational mission or the women's bodies. Having originally been due to respond to the High Court on the issue last week.
Until 1995, the vast majority of women's positions in the IDF were non-combat roles. Following the High Court of Justice Alice Miller, which required the IDF to include women in pilot training, the IDF gradually began to include women in 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.
Alice Miller during her inaugural trial (archive),
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 publications on the subject over the past week and a half have drawn mixed reactions - with women's organizations welcoming the decision, noting that the road to full equality is still long, and some rabbis have argued that this is likely to harm the IDF and the service of religious soldiers.
Were we wrong?
Fixed!
If you found an error in the article, we'll be happy for you to share it with us
