The IDF spokesperson says that after an in-depth examination conducted by the IDF and further to the petitions being held in the High Court regarding the expansion of combat roles open to women, the Chief of Staff, Major General Herzi Halevi, decided to open additional experiences in combat roles for women.
The new positions that will be open for women to try out are: Opening of a tryout for women to serve in combat positions in the Defense Forces Patrol in 2024, the track will be opened as soon as a sufficient number of female soldiers are found who will successfully pass the screening. This is in addition to the nominations that will be accepted for tryouts in the Yahalom and 669 units starting in November 2023.
Opening of a trial for the establishment of a team of female fighters in the mobility infantry profession, which includes a professional specialization in the mobilization of forces and resources - the trial will be carried out in a designated route that will be opened within the framework of a mobility unit currently operating in the 551st Infantry Brigade, and subordinated to one of the elite maneuvering infantry units in the IDF, subject to the fact that in the process The sorting will locate a sufficient number of female fighters.
Starting an experiment in training female fighters for a combat role in maneuverable armor - in this framework, female soldiers will be trained to be recruited for the role of tank fighters in the border defense, in a training course that matches the requirements of the role of maneuverable armor. The experiment will be carried out in an orderly and balanced manner, as part of a commitment to previous decisions and processes in the IDF, when the subject will continue and be examined according to data and conclusions, which will be accumulated from the rest of the experiments, up to the starting point.
Decisions will be made based on the results of the experiment. The various experiences will begin during the year 2024. Women have served in the IDF since its inception, and make a significant contribution to the achievement of its goals. Over the years, the IDF has undergone lengthy processes to expand the various roles in which women are assigned, and in particular in combat roles. This while adhering to the principles of the joint service order, and maintaining the people's army and service from all sections of the population and society.
The selection process will be the same for women and men
Today, 90% of the positions in the IDF are open to women, and thousands of female soldiers serve in various combat positions. Following petitions submitted to the High Court to expand the combat positions open to women, in-depth and thorough examination processes were conducted in the IDF. Following these processes, it was decided that the screening procedure for women will be the same as the selection process for men, in a way that will expand the opportunity for women to participate in selections for combat roles.
Thus, women will be able to be selected for combat positions without threshold conditions, similar to men. In addition, trials for female fighters have been opened in Unit 669 and the Yahalom unit. The first batch of 12 female fighters is undergoing trial at the Yahalom unit beginning in March 2023, and in November 2023 additional female fighters will be recruited to the Yahalom unit. The first recruitment for trial in Unit 669 is expected to be held in November 2023.