Women In The Israel Defense Force

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is just like any other country with there own military that includes a naval, air force, and army force. Israel is the only country in the world that draft women at the age of eighteen. Men serve for a term of three years where women are only required to serve for 21 months. Even immigrants are allowed to join IDF. Even though women are drafted they may not have to complete their services or even start depending on their age, personal status, and religion. As of 1991 while 6% of the American military were women, while a massive 40% of IDF were composed of women. The one big difference is Israel women are taught everything, for example how to operate a tank or prepare for biological attack, except they are not allowed to participate in actual combat. They are taught to train the men to prepare for combat. Women can obtain any level in the military. One female Sergeant even said she had no problem working with other men, “They even forget that I’m a girl, and just see me as one of the guys”. In the odds of 3.5 million Jews surrounded by over a 100 million hostiles, from a 50+ year war, most women are not intimidated by being drafted. In fact it’s just the opposite. There is no question of “should I or shouldn’t I”, to them this is their country and a way of life. Even Nativa Garuda, was one of the first females in IDF, who served in the front line for 7 months explains why women do not see combat. Her generation did see combat, and the gruesome things that happened to the women in particular were so horrific that most women threatened committing suicide before becoming a POW. Tel Aviv’s government witnessed the way women were mutilated, raped, and tortured to death, therefore stating from then on no women would see combat from then on. Since then there are some women who agree and some who disagree with seeing combat. Overall the amazing aspect is how these women participate to protect their country, and the men see and respect them for it as well.

IDF-
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/israel/idf.htm