text:
Israew Defense Forces
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|Israew Defense Forces
|צבא ההגנה לישראל
Israew Defense Forces embwem
Fwag of de Israew Defense Forces
|Service branches
| Israewi Army
Israewi Air Force
Israewi Navy
|Prime Minister
Defense Minister (interim)
|Benjamin Netanyahu
|Chief of Generaw Staff
|Rav Awuf Gadi Eizenkot
|Miwitary age
|Avaiwabwe for
miwitary service
|1,554,186 mawes, age 17–49 (2016 est.),
1,514,063 femawes, age 17–49 (2016 est.)
|Fit for
miwitary service
|1,499,998 mawes, age 17–49 (2016 est.),
1,392,319 femawes, age 17–49 (2016 est.)
|Reaching miwitary
age annuawwy
|60,000 mawes (2016 est.),
60,000 femawes (2016 est.)
|Active personnew
|26,000 active combat sowdiers,[1] 176,500 totaw active[2] (ranked 34f)
|Reserve personnew
|$18.6 biwwion (2015)[3]
|Percent of GDP
|6.2% (2015)[3]
|Domestic suppwiers
|Israew Aerospace Industries
Israew Miwitary Industries
Israew Weapon Industries
Ewbit Systems
Israew Shipyards
|Foreign suppwiers
| Czechoswovakia (1948)[4]
France (1955–1966)[5]
United States (1968–present)[6]
Germany (1998–present)[7]
|Rewated articwes
|War of Independence (1948–1949)
Reprisaw operations (1951–1956)
Sinai War (1956)
Six-Day War (1967)
War of Attrition (1967–1970)
Yom Kippur War (1973)
Operation Litani (1978)
First Lebanon War (1982–1985)
Souf Lebanon confwict (1985–2000)
First Intifada (1987–1993)
Second Intifada (2000–2005)
Second Lebanon War (2006)
Operation Cast Lead (2008–2009)
Piwwar of Defense (2012)
Protective Edge (2014)
|Israew Defense Forces ranks
The Israew Defense Forces (IDF; Hebrew: צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל Tsva ha-Hagana we-Yisra'ew, wit. "The Army of Defense for Israew"; Arabic: جيش الدفاع الإسرائيلي), commonwy known in Israew by de Hebrew acronym Tzahaw (צה״ל), are de miwitary forces of de State of Israew. They consist of de ground forces, air force, and navy. It is de sowe miwitary wing of de Israewi security forces, and has no civiwian jurisdiction widin Israew. The IDF is headed by its Chief of Generaw Staff, de Ramatkaw, subordinate to de Defense Minister of Israew; Lieutenant Generaw (Rav Awuf) Gadi Eizenkot has served as Chief of Staff since 2015.
An order from Defense Minister David Ben-Gurion on 26 May 1948 officiawwy set up de Israew Defense Forces as a conscript army formed out of de paramiwitary group Haganah, incorporating de miwitant groups Irgun and Lehi. The IDF served as Israew's armed forces in aww de country's major miwitary operations—incwuding de 1948 War of Independence, 1951–1956 Retribution operations, 1956 Sinai War, 1964–1967 War over Water, 1967 Six-Day War, 1967–1970 War of Attrition, 1968 Battwe of Karameh, 1973 Operation Spring of Youf, 1973 Yom Kippur War, 1976 Operation Entebbe, 1978 Operation Litani, 1982 Lebanon War, 1982–2000 Souf Lebanon confwict, 1987–1993 First Intifada, 2000–2005 Second Intifada, 2002 Operation Defensive Shiewd, 2006 Lebanon War, 2008–2009 Operation Cast Lead, 2012 Operation Piwwar of Defense, and 2014 Operation Protective Edge. According to GwobawSecurity.org, de number of wars and border confwicts in which de IDF has been invowved in its short history makes it one of de most battwe-trained armed forces in de worwd.[8] Whiwe originawwy de IDF operated on dree fronts—against Lebanon and Syria in de norf, Jordan and Iraq in de east, and Egypt in de souf—after de 1979 Egyptian–Israewi Peace Treaty, it has concentrated its activities in soudern Lebanon and de Pawestinian Territories, incwuding de First and de Second Intifada.
The Israew Defense Forces is somewhat uniqwe in its incwusion of mandatory conscription of women and its structure, which emphasizes cwose rewations between de army, navy, and air force. Since its founding, de IDF has been specificawwy designed to match Israew's uniqwe security situation, uh-hah-hah-hah. The IDF is one of Israewi society's most prominent institutions, infwuencing de country's economy, cuwture and powiticaw scene. In 1965, de Israew Defense Forces was awarded de Israew Prize for its contribution to education, uh-hah-hah-hah.[9] The IDF uses severaw technowogies devewoped in Israew, many of dem made specificawwy to match de IDF's needs, such as de Merkava main battwe tank, Achzarit armoured personnew carrier, high tech weapons systems, de Iron Dome missiwe defense system, Trophy active protection system for vehicwes, and de Gawiw and Tavor assauwt rifwes. The Uzi submachine gun was invented in Israew and used by de IDF untiw December 2003, ending a service dat began in 1954. Since 1967, de IDF has had cwose miwitary rewations wif de United States,[10] incwuding devewopment cooperation, such as on de F-15I jet, THEL waser defense system, and de Arrow missiwe defense system.
The Israew Defense Forces are bewieved to have had an operationaw nucwear weapons capabiwity since 1967, possibwy possessing between 80 and 400 nucwear weapons,[11] wif dewivery systems forming a nucwear triad, of pwane waunched-missiwes, Jericho III intercontinentaw bawwistic missiwes and submarine waunched cruise missiwes.
- 1 Etymowogy
- 2 History
- 3 Organization
- 4 Service
- 5 Minorities in de IDF
- 6 Overseas vowunteers
- 7 Mission
- 8 Doctrine
- 9 Command and controw
- 10 Budget
- 11 Fiewd Rations
- 12 Weapons and eqwipment
- 13 Commemoration
- 14 Foreign miwitary rewations
- 15 Future
- 16 See awso
- 17 References and footnotes
- 18 Furder reading
- 19 Externaw winks
The Israewi cabinet ratified de name "Israew Defense Forces" (Hebrew: צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), Tzva HaHagana LeYisra'ew, witerawwy "army for de defense of Israew," on 26 May 1948. The oder main contender was Tzva Yisra'ew (Hebrew: צְבָא יִשְׂרָאֵל). The name was chosen because it conveyed de idea dat de army's rowe was defense, and because it incorporated de name Haganah, de pre-state defensive organization upon which de new army was based.[12] Among de primary opponents of de name were Minister Haim-Moshe Shapira and de Hatzohar party, bof in favor of Tzva Yisra'ew.[12]
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The IDF traces its roots to Jewish paramiwitary organizations in de New Yishuv, starting wif de Second Awiyah (1904 to 1914).[13] The first such organization was Bar-Giora, founded in September 1907. Bar-Giora was transformed into Hashomer in Apriw 1909, which operated untiw de British Mandate of Pawestine came into being in 1920. Hashomer was an ewitist organization wif narrow scope, and was mainwy created to protect against criminaw gangs seeking to steaw property. The Zion Muwe Corps and de Jewish Legion, bof part of de British Army of Worwd War I, wouwd furder bowster de Yishuv wif miwitary experience and manpower, forming de basis for water paramiwitary forces. After de 1920 Pawestine riots against Jews in Apriw 1920, de Yishuv weadership reawised de need for a nationwide underground defense organization, and de Haganah was founded in June of de same year.[14] The Haganah became a fuww-scawe defense force after de 1936–1939 Arab revowt in Pawestine wif an organized structure, consisting of dree main units—de Fiewd Corps, Guard Corps, and de Pawmach. During Worwd War II, de Yishuv participated in de British war effort, cuwminating in de formation of de Jewish Brigade. These wouwd eventuawwy form de backbone of de Israew Defense Forces, and provide it wif its initiaw manpower and doctrine.
Fowwowing Israew's Decwaration of Independence, Prime Minister and Defense Minister David Ben-Gurion issued an order for de formation of de Israew Defense Forces on 26 May 1948. Awdough Ben-Gurion had no wegaw audority to issue such an order, de order was made wegaw by de cabinet on 31 May. The same order cawwed for de disbandment of aww oder Jewish armed forces.[15] The two oder Jewish underground organizations, Irgun and Lehi, agreed to join de IDF if dey wouwd be abwe to form independent units and agreed not to make independent arms purchases. This was de background for de Awtawena Affair, a confrontation surrounding weapons purchased by de Irgun resuwting in a standoff between Irgun members and de newwy created IDF. The affair came to an end when Awtawena, de ship carrying de arms, was shewwed by de IDF. Fowwowing de affair, aww independent Irgun and Lehi units were eider disbanded or merged into de IDF. The Pawmach, a weading component of de Haganah, awso joined de IDF wif provisions, and Ben Gurion responded by disbanding its staff in 1949, after which many senior Pawmach officers retired, notabwy its first commander, Yitzhak Sadeh.
The new army organized itsewf when de 1947–48 Civiw War in Mandatory Pawestine escawated into de 1948 Arab–Israewi War, which saw neighbouring Arab states attack. Twewve infantry and armored brigades formed: Gowani, Carmewi, Awexandroni, Kiryati, Givati, Etzioni, de 7f, and 8f armored brigades, Oded, Harew, Yiftach, and Negev.[16] After de war, some of de brigades were converted to reserve units, and oders were disbanded. Directorates and corps were created from corps and services in de Haganah, and dis basic structure in de IDF stiww exists today.
Immediatewy after de 1948 war, de Israew-Pawestinian confwict shifted to a wow intensity confwict between de IDF and Pawestinian fedayeen. In de 1956 Suez Crisis, de IDF's first serious test of strengf after 1949, de new army captured de Sinai Peninsuwa from Egypt, which was water returned. In de 1967 Six-Day War, Israew conqwered de Sinai Peninsuwa, Gaza Strip, West Bank (incwuding East Jerusawem) and Gowan Heights from de surrounding Arab states, changing de bawance of power in de region as weww as de rowe of de IDF. In de fowwowing years weading up to de Yom Kippur War, de IDF fought in de War of Attrition against Egypt in de Sinai and a border war against de Pawestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in Jordan, cuwminating in de Battwe of Karameh.
The surprise of de Yom Kippur War and its aftermaf compwetewy changed de IDF's procedures and approach to warfare. Organizationaw changes were made[by whom?] and more time was dedicated to training for conventionaw warfare. However, in de fowwowing years de army's rowe swowwy shifted again to wow-intensity confwict, urban warfare and counter-terrorism. An exampwe of de watter was de successfuw 1976 Operation Entebbe commando raid to free hijacked airwine passengers being hewd captive in Uganda. During dis era, de IDF awso mounted a successfuw bombing mission in Iraq to destroy its nucwear reactor. It was invowved in de Lebanese Civiw War, initiating Operation Litani and water de 1982 Lebanon War, where de IDF ousted Pawestinian gueriwwa organizations from Lebanon. Pawestinian miwitancy has been de main focus of de IDF ever since, especiawwy during de First and Second Intifadas, Operation Defensive Shiewd, de Gaza War, Operation Piwwar of Defense, and Operation Protective Edge, causing de IDF to change many of its vawues and pubwish de IDF Spirit. The Lebanese Shia organization Hezbowwah has awso been a growing dreat,[17] against which de IDF fought an asymmetric confwict between 1982 and 2000, as weww as a fuww-scawe war in 2006.
Aww branches of de IDF answer to a singwe Generaw Staff. The Chief of de Generaw Staff is de onwy serving officer having de rank of Lieutenant Generaw (Rav Awuf). He reports directwy to de Defense Minister and indirectwy to de Prime Minister of Israew and de cabinet. Chiefs of Staff are formawwy appointed by de cabinet, based on de Defense Minister's recommendation, for dree years, but de government can vote to extend deir service to four (and on rare occasions even five) years. The current chief of staff is Gadi Eizenkot. He repwaced Benny Gantz in 2015.
The IDF incwudes de fowwowing bodies (dose whose respective heads are members of de Generaw Staff are in bowd):
Regionaw commands
Air and Space Arm
Sea Arm
Administrative branches
Oder bodies
Ranks, uniforms and insignia
Unwike most miwitaries, de IDF uses de same rank names in aww corps, incwuding de air force and navy. For ground forces' officers, rank insignia are brass on a red background; for de air force, siwver on a bwue background; and for de navy, de standard gowd worn on de sweeve. Officer insignia are worn on epauwets on top of bof shouwders. Insignia distinctive to each service are worn on de cap (see fig. 15).
Enwisted grades wear rank insignia on de sweeve, hawfway between de shouwder and de ewbow. For de army and air force, de insignia are white wif bwue interwoven dreads backed wif de appropriate corps cowor. Navy personnew wear gowd-cowored rank insignia sewn on navy bwue materiaw.
From de formation of de IDF untiw de wate 1980s, sergeant major was a particuwarwy important warrant officer rank, in wine wif usage in oder armies. However, in de 1980s and 1990s de prowiferating ranks of sergeant major became devawued, and now aww professionaw non-commissioned officer ranks are a variation on sergeant major (rav samaw) wif de exception of rav nagad.
Aww transwations here are de officiaw transwations of de IDF's website.[18]
Conscripts (Hogrim) (Conscript ranks may be gained purewy on time served)
- Private (Turai)
- Corporaw (Rav Turai)
- Sergeant (Samaw)
- First Sergeant (Samaw Rishon)
Warrant Officers (Nagadim)
- Sergeant First Cwass (Rav Samaw)
- Master Sergeant (Rav Samaw Rishon)
- Sergeant Major (Rav Samaw Mitkadem)
- Warrant Officer (Rav Samaw Bakhir)
- Master Warrant Officer (Rav Nagad Mishneh)
- Chief Warrant Officer (Rav Nagad)
Academic officers (Ktzinim Akadema'im)
- Professionaw Academic Officer (Katzin Miktzo'i Akadema'i)
- Senior Academic Officer (Katzin Akadema'i Bakhir)
Officers (Ktzinim)
- Second Lieutenant (Segen Mishneh) [1951–Present]
- Lieutenant (Segen)
- Captain (Seren)
- Major (Rav Seren)
- Lieutenant Cowonew (Sgan Awuf)
- Cowonew (Awuf Mishneh) [1950–Present]
- Brigadier Generaw (Tat Awuf) [1968–Present]
- Major Generaw (Awuf) [1948–Present]
- Lieutenant Generaw (Rav Awuf)
The Israew Defense Forces has severaw types of uniforms:
- Service dress (מדי אלף Madei Awef – Uniform "A") – de everyday uniform, worn by enwisted sowdiers.
- Fiewd dress ( מדי ב Madei Bet – Uniform "B") – worn into combat, training, work on base.
The first two resembwe each oder but de Madei Awef is made of higher qwawity materiaws in a gowden-owive whiwe de madei bet is in owive drab.[19][20] The dress uniforms may awso exhibit a surface shine[20][21]
- Officers / Ceremoniaw dress (מדי שרד madei srad) – worn by officers, or during speciaw events/ceremonies.
- Dress uniform and mess dress – worn onwy abroad. There are severaw dress uniforms depending on de season and de branch.
The service uniform for aww ground forces personnew is owive green; navy and air force uniforms are beige (tan). The uniforms consist of a two-pocket shirt, combat trousers, sweater, jacket or bwouse, and shoes or boots. The navy awso has an aww white dress uniform. The green fatigues are de same for winter and summer and heavy winter gear is issued as needed. Women's dress parawwews de men's but may substitute a skirt for de trousers.
Headgear incwuded a service cap for dress and semi-dress and a fiewd cap or bush hat worn wif fatigues. IDF personnew generawwy wear berets in wieu of de service cap and dere are many beret cowors issued to IDF personnew. Paratroopers are issued a maroon beret, Gowani brown, Givati purpwe, Nahaw wime green, Kfir camoufwage, Combat Engineers gray, navy bwue for IDF Navaw and dark grey for IDF Air Force personnew. Oder beret cowors are: bwack for armored corps, turqwoise for artiwwery personnew; owive drab for infantry; grey for combat engineers. For aww oder army personnew, except combat units, de beret for men was green and for women, bwack. Women in de navy wore a bwack beret wif gowd insignia. Mawes in de navy once wore a bwue/bwack beret but repwaced it wif de US Navy's saiwor cap.
Some corps or units have smaww variations in deir uniforms – for instance, miwitary powicemen wear a white bewt and powice hat, Navaw personnew have dress whites for parades, paratroopers are issued a four pocket tunic (yarkit) meant to be worn untucked wif a pistow bewt cinched tight around de waist over de shirt. The IDF Air Corps has a dress uniform consisting of a pawe bwue shirt wif dark bwue trousers. Simiwarwy, whiwe most IDF sowdiers are issued bwack weader boots, certain units issue reddish-brown weader boots for historicaw reasons — de paratroopers, combat medics, Nahaw and Kfir Brigades, as weww as some SF units (Sayeret Matkaw, Oketz, Duvdevan, Magwan, and de Counter-Terror Schoow). Women were awso formerwy issued sandaws, but dis practice has ceased.
IDF sowdiers have dree types of insignia (oder dan rank insignia) which identify deir corps, specific unit, and position, uh-hah-hah-hah.
A pin attached to de beret identifies a sowdier's corps. Sowdiers serving in staffs above corps wevew are often identified by de Generaw Corps pin, despite not officiawwy bewonging to it, or de pin of a rewated corps. New recruits undergoing basic training (tironut) do not have a pin, uh-hah-hah-hah. Beret cowors are awso often indicative of de sowdier's corps, awdough most non-combat corps do not have deir own beret, and sometimes wear de cowor of de corps to which de post dey're stationed in bewongs. Individuaw units are identified by a shouwder tag attached to de weft shouwder strap. Most units in de IDF have deir own tags, awdough dose dat do not, generawwy use tags identicaw to deir command's tag (corps, directorate, or regionaw command).
Whiwe one cannot awways identify de position/job of a sowdier, two optionaw factors hewp make dis identification: an aiguiwwette attached to de weft shouwder strap and shirt pocket, and a pin indicating de sowdier's work type (usuawwy given by a professionaw course). Oder pins may indicate de corps or additionaw courses taken, uh-hah-hah-hah. Finawwy, an optionaw battwe pin indicates a war dat a sowdier has fought in, uh-hah-hah-hah.
Miwitary service routes
The miwitary service is hewd in dree different tracks:
- Reguwar service (שירות חובה): mandatory miwitary service which is hewd according to de Israewi security service waw.
- Permanent service (שירות קבע): miwitary service which is hewd as part of a contractuaw agreement between de IDF and de permanent position-howder.
- Reserve service (שירות מילואים): a miwitary service in which citizens are cawwed for active duty of at most a monf every year (in accordance wif de Reserve Service Law), for training and ongoing miwitary activities and especiawwy for de purpose of increasing de miwitary forces in case of a war.
Sometimes de IDF wouwd awso howd pre-miwitary courses (קורס קדם צבאי or קד"צ) for soon-to-be reguwar service sowdiers.
Speciaw service routes
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- Shoher (שוחר), a person enrowwed in pre-miwitary studies (high schoow, technicaw cowwege up to engineering degree, some of de קד"ץ courses) – after compweting de twewff study year wiww do a two-monf boot-camp and, if awwowed, enter a program of education to qwawify as a practicaw engineer, wif at weast two weeks of training fowwowing each study year. Successfuw candidates wiww continue for an engineering bachewor degree. The Shoher wiww be enrowwed into reguwar service if he dropped out before finished deir P.A. education or in any finishing education stage (after high schoow, after P.A. or after receiving de bachewor's degree). Anoder exampwe of a Shoher is a programmer dat is under de programming course of Schoow for Computer Professions (Hebrew: בית הספר למקצועות המחשב, abbr. Basmach Hebrew: בסמ"ח). The course usuawwy wasts about six monds, and at its peak, de Shoher receives a programmer badge. The Shoher wiww have de abiwity to serve in R&D units widout having de engineering credentiaws if an officer finds him as wordy, and couwd recommend him for de R&D units. R&D units have de option to provide Hebrew: על תקן מהנדס certificate for few sewected personaw to awwow de person to work on wife-saving or fwight eqwipment widout having an Eng. wicense (de certificate is not vawid for medicaw R&D machinery). The certificate is provided by de highest in command in de research fiewd (as an exampwe for de Air Force it is de Chief of Eqwipment Group).
- Civiwian working for de IDF (Hebrew: אזרח עובד צה"ל), a civiwian working for de miwitary.
The Israewi Manpower Directorate (Hebrew: אגף משאבי אנוש) at de Israewi Generaw Staff is de body which coordinates and assembwes activities rewated to de controw over human resources and its pwacement.
Reguwar service
Nationaw miwitary service is mandatory for aww Israewi citizens over de age of 18, awdough Arab (but not Druze) citizens are exempted if dey so pwease, and oder exceptions may be made on rewigious, physicaw or psychowogicaw grounds (see Profiwe 21). The Taw waw, which exempts uwtra-Ordodox Jews from service, has been de subject of severaw court cases as weww as considerabwe wegiswative controversy.
Untiw de draft of Juwy 2015, men served dree years in de IDF. Men drafted as of Juwy 2015 and water wiww serve two years and eight monds (32 monds), wif some rowes reqwiring an additionaw four monds of Permanent service. Women serve two years. The IDF women who vowunteer for severaw combat positions often serve for dree years, due to de wonger period of training. Women in oder positions, such as programmers, who awso reqwire wengdy training time, may awso serve dree years.
Some distinguished recruits are sewected to be trained in order to eventuawwy become members of speciaw forces units. Every brigade in de IDF has its own speciaw force branch.
Career sowdiers are paid on average NIS 23,000 a monf, fifty times de NIS 460 paid to conscripts.[22]
In 1998–2000, onwy about 9% of dose who refused to serve in de Israewi miwitary were granted exemption, uh-hah-hah-hah.[23]
Permanent service
Permanent service is designed for sowdiers who choose to continue serving in de army after deir reguwar service, for a short or wong period, and in many cases making de miwitary deir career. Permanent service usuawwy begins immediatewy after de mandatory Reguwar service period, but dere are awso sowdiers who get reweased from miwitary at de end of de mandatory Reguwar service period and who get recruited back to de miwitary as Permanent service sowdiers in a water period.
Permanent service is based on a contractuaw agreement between de IDF and de permanent position howder. The service contract defines how wong de sowdier's service wouwd be, and towards de end of de contract period a discussion may rise on de extension of de sowdier's service duration, uh-hah-hah-hah. Many times, reguwar service sowdiers are reqwired to commit to a permanent service after de mandatory Reguwar service period, in exchange for assigning dem in miwitary positions which reqwire a wong training period.
In exchange for de Permanent service, de Permanent service sowdiers receive fuww wages, and when serving for a wong period as a permanent service sowdier, dey are awso entitwed for a pension from de army. This right is given to de Permanent service sowdiers in a rewativewy earwy stage of deir wife in comparison to de rest of de Israewi retirees.
Reserve service
After personnew compwete deir reguwar service, dey are eider granted permanent exemption from miwitary service, or assigned a position in de reserve forces. There is no distinction between assignment of men or women to reserve service.
The IDF may caww up reservists for:
- reserve service of up to one monf every dree years, untiw de age of 40 (enwisted) or 45 (officers). Reservists may vowunteer after dis age, wif approvaw of de Manpower Directorate.
- immediate active duty in wartime.
Aww Israewis who served in de IDF and are under de age of 40, unwess oderwise exempt, are ewigibwe for reserve duty. However, onwy dose who compweted at weast 20 days of reserve duty widin de past dree years are considered active reservists.[24]
In most cases, de reserve duty is carried out in de same unit for years, in many cases de same unit as de active service and by de same peopwe. Many sowdiers who have served togeder in active service continue to meet in reserve duty for years after deir discharge, causing reserve duty to become a strong mawe bonding experience in Israewi society.
Awdough stiww avaiwabwe for caww-up in times of crisis, most Israewi men, and virtuawwy aww women, do not actuawwy perform reserve service in any given year. In 2015, onwy 26% of de popuwation ewigibwe for reserve duty hewd an active reserve status. The IDF has reduced de amount of reserve sowdiers cawwed up to improve efficiency and cut costs. Units do not awways caww up aww of deir reservists every year, and a variety of exemptions are avaiwabwe if cawwed for reguwar reserve service. Virtuawwy no exemptions exist for reservists cawwed up in a time of crisis, but experience has shown dat in such cases (most recentwy, de 2014 Operation Protective Edge) exemptions are rarewy reqwested or exercised; units generawwy achieve recruitment rates above dose considered fuwwy manned.
Legiswation (approved in Apriw 2008) has reformed de reserve service, wowering de maximum service age to 40 for enwisted, and 45 for officers, designating it as an emergency and security force (disawwowing routine duties dat may be carried out by de active forces), as weww as many oder changes to de structure (awdough de Defense Minister can suspend any portion of it at any time for security reasons). The age dreshowd for many reservists whose positions are wisted and updated yearwy by de Knesset drough de Occupations executive order is fixed at 45 or 49, depending on deir miwitary occupation and position, uh-hah-hah-hah.
Non-IDF service
Oder dan de Nationaw Service (Sherut Leumi), IDF conscripts may serve in bodies oder dan de IDF in a number of ways.
The combat option is Israew Border Powice (Magav – de exact transwation from Hebrew means "border guard") service, part of de Israew Powice. Some sowdiers compwete deir IDF combat training and water undergo additionaw counter terror and Border Powice training. These are assigned to Border Powice units. The Border Powice units fight side by side wif de reguwar IDF combat units dough to a wower capacity. They are awso responsibwe for security in heavy urban areas such as Jerusawem and security and crime fighting in ruraw areas.
Non-combat services incwude de Mandatory Powice Service (Shaham) program, where youf serve in de Israewi Powice, Israew Prison Service, or oder wings of de Israewi Security Forces instead of de reguwar army service.
Israew is one of onwy a few nations dat conscript women or depwoy dem in combat rowes, awdough in practice, women can avoid conscription drough a rewigious exemption and over a dird of Israewi women do so.[26] As of 2010, 88% of aww rowes in de IDF are open to femawe candidates, and women couwd be found in 69% of aww IDF positions.[27]
According to de IDF, 535 femawe Israewi sowdiers were kiwwed in combat operations in de period 1962–2016,[28] and dozens before den, uh-hah-hah-hah. The IDF says dat fewer dan 4 percent of women are in combat positions. Rader, dey are concentrated in "combat-support" positions which command a wower compensation and status dan combat positions.[29]
Civiwian piwot and aeronauticaw engineer Awice Miwwer successfuwwy petitioned de High Court of Justice to take de Israewi Air Force piwot training exams, after being rejected on grounds of gender. Though president Ezer Weizman, a former IAF commander, towd Miwwer dat she wouwd be better off staying home and darning socks, de court eventuawwy ruwed in 1996 dat de IAF couwd not excwude qwawified women from piwot training. Even dough Miwwer wouwd not pass de exams, de ruwing was a watershed, opening doors for women in new IDF rowes. Femawe wegiswators took advantage of de momentum to draft a biww awwowing women to vowunteer for any position, if dey couwd qwawify.[30]
In 2000 de Eqwawity amendment to de Miwitary Service waw stated dat de right of women to serve in any rowe in de IDF is eqwaw to de right of men, uh-hah-hah-hah.[31] A study of women in de IDF from 2002 to 2005 found dat women often exhibit "superior skiwws" in discipwine, motivation and marksmanship. However, de study noted dat women stiww face gender discrimination in de IDF.[32] Women have served in de miwitary since before de founding of de state of Israew in 1948.[33] Women started to enter combat support and wight combat rowes in a few areas, incwuding de Artiwwery Corps, infantry units and armored divisions. A few pwatoons named Karakaw were formed for men and women to serve togeder in wight infantry. By 2000 Karakaw became a fuww-fwedged battawion, wif a second mixed-gender battawion, Lions of de Jordan (אריות הירדן, Arayot Ha-Yarden) formed in 2015. Many women awso joined de Border Powice.[30]
In June 2011 Maj. Generaw Orna Barbivai became de first femawe major generaw in de IDF, repwacing head of de directorate Maj. Generaw Avi Zamir. Barbivai stated, "I am proud to be de first woman to become a major generaw and to be part of an organization in which eqwawity is a centraw principwe. Ninety percent of jobs in de IDF are open to women and I am sure dat dere are oder women who wiww continue to break down barriers."[34][35]
In 2013 de IDF announced dey wouwd, for de first time, awwow a (MTF) transgender woman to serve in de army as a femawe sowdier.[36]
Ewana Sztokman notes it wouwd be "difficuwt to cwaim dat women are eqwaws in de IDF". "And tewwingwy, dere is onwy one femawe generaw in de entire IDF," she adds.[29] In 2012 rewigious sowdiers cwaimed dey were promised dey wouwd not have to wisten to women sing or wecture, but IAF Chief Rabbi Moshe Raved resigned because mawe rewigious sowdiers were being reqwired to do so.[37] In January 2015 dree women IDF singers performed in one of de IDF's units. The performance was first disrupted by fifteen rewigious sowdiers, who weft in protest and den de Master Sergeant forced de women to end de performance because it was disturbing de rewigious sowdiers. An IDF spokesperson announced an investigation of de incident: "We are aware of de incident and awready began examining it. The excwusion of woman is not consistent wif de vawues of de IDF."[38] Defense Minister Moshe Ya'awon has awso arranged for women to be excwuded from recruitment centers catering to rewigious mawes.[39] As de IDF recruits more rewigious sowdiers, de rights of mawe rewigious sowdiers and of women in de IDF come into confwict. Brig. Gen, uh-hah-hah-hah. Zeev Lehrer, who served on de chief of staff's panew of de integration of women, noted "There is a cwear process of 'rewigionization' in de army, and de story of de women is a centraw piece of it. There are very strong pressures at work to hawt de process of integrating women into de army, and dey are coming from de direction of rewigion, uh-hah-hah-hah."[40] Sex segregation is awwowed in de IDF, which reached what it considers a "new miwestone" in 2006, creating de first company of sowdiers segregated in an aww femawe unit, de Nachshow (Hebrew for "giant wave") Reconnaissance Company. "We are de onwy unit in de worwd made up entirewy of femawe combat sowdiers," said Nachshow Company Commander Cpt. Dana Ben-Ezra. "Our effectiveness and de dividends we earn are de factors by which we are measured, not our gender."[41]
Minorities in de IDF
Non-Jewish minorities tended to serve in one of severaw speciaw units: de Minorities Unit, awso known as Unit 300; de Druze Reconnaissance Unit; and de Trackers Unit, composed mostwy of Negev Bedouins. In 1982 de IDF generaw staff decided to integrate de armed forces by opening up oder units to minorities, whiwe pwacing some Jewish conscripts in de Minorities Unit. Untiw 1988 de intewwigence corps and de air force remained cwosed to minorities.
Druze and Circassians
Awdough Israew has a majority of Jewish sowdiers, aww citizens incwuding warge numbers of Druze and Circassian men are subject to mandatory conscription, uh-hah-hah-hah.[42] Originawwy, dey served in de framework of a speciaw unit cawwed "The Minorities' Unit", which operated untiw 2015 in de form of de independent Herev Gdud ("Sword") battawion. However, since de 1980s Druze sowdiers have increasingwy protested dis practice, which dey considered a means of segregating dem and denying dem access to ewite units (wike sayeret units). The army has increasingwy admitted Druze sowdiers to reguwar combat units and promoted dem to higher ranks from which dey had been previouswy excwuded. In 2015 Rav Awuf Gadi Eizenkot ordered de unit's cwosure in order to assimiwate de Druze sowdiers no differentwy dan Jewish sowdiers, as part of an ongoing reorganization of de army. Severaw Druze officers reached ranks as high as Major Generaw, and many received commendations for distinguished service. In proportion to deir numbers, de Druze peopwe achieve much higher—documented—wevews in de Israewi army dan oder sowdiers. Neverdewess, some Druze stiww charge dat discrimination continues, such as excwusion from de Air Force, awdough de officiaw wow security cwassification for Druze has been abowished for some time. The first Druze aircraft navigator compweted his training course in 2005; wike aww air force piwots, his identity is not discwosed. During de Israewi War of Independence, many Druze who had initiawwy sided wif de Arabs deserted deir ranks to eider return to deir viwwages or side wif Israew in various capacities.[43]
Since de wate 1970s de Druze Initiative Committee, centered at de viwwage of Beit Jan and winked to de Israewi Communist Party, has campaigned to abowish Druze conscription, uh-hah-hah-hah.
Miwitary service is a tradition among some of de Druze popuwation, wif most opposition in Druze communities of de Gowan Heights; 83 percent of Druze boys serve in de army, according to de IDF's statistics.[44] According to de Israewi army in 2010, 369 Druze sowdiers had been kiwwed in combat operations since 1948.[45]
Bedouins and Israewi Arabs
By waw, aww Israewi citizens are subject to conscription, uh-hah-hah-hah. The Defense Minister has compwete discretion to grant exemption to individuaw citizens or cwasses of citizens. A wong-standing powicy dating to Israew's earwy years extends an exemption to aww oder Israewi minorities (most notabwy Israewi Arabs). However, dere is a wong-standing government powicy of encouraging Bedouins to vowunteer and of offering dem various inducements, and in some impoverished Bedouin communities a miwitary career seems one of de few means of (rewative) sociaw mobiwity avaiwabwe. Awso, Muswims and Christians are accepted as vowunteers, even if owder dan 18.[46]
From among non-Bedouin Arab citizens, de number of vowunteers for miwitary service—some Christian Arabs and even a few Muswim Arabs—is minute, and de government makes no speciaw effort to increase it. Six Israewi Arabs have received orders of distinction as a resuwt of deir miwitary service; of dem de most famous is a Bedouin officer, Lieutenant Cowonew Abd ew-Majid Hidr (awso known as Amos Yarkoni), who received de Order of Distinction, uh-hah-hah-hah. Vahid ew Huziw was de first Bedouin to be a battawion commander.[47][48]
Untiw de second term of Yitzhak Rabin as Prime Minister (1992–1995), sociaw benefits given to famiwies in which at weast one member (incwuding a grandfader, uncwe or cousin) had served at some time in de armed forces were significantwy higher dan to "non-miwitary" famiwies, which was considered a means of bwatant discrimination between Jews and Arabs. Rabin wed de abowition of de measure, in de teef of strong opposition from de Right. At present, de onwy officiaw advantage from miwitary service is de attaining of security cwearance and serving in some types of government positions (in most cases, security-rewated), as weww as some indirect benefits.
Rader dan perform army service, Israewi Arab youds have de option to vowunteer to nationaw service and receive benefits simiwar to dose received by discharged sowdiers. The vowunteers are generawwy awwocated to Arab popuwations, where dey assist wif sociaw and community matters. As of 2010[update] 1,473 Arabs were vowunteering for nationaw service. According to sources in de nationaw service administration, Arab weaders are counsewing youds to refrain from performing services to de state. According to a Nationaw Service officiaw, "For years de Arab weadership has demanded, justifiabwy, benefits for Arab youds simiwar to dose received by discharged sowdiers. Now, when dis opportunity is avaiwabwe, it is precisewy dese weaders who reject de state's caww to come and do de service, and receive dese benefits".[49]
Awdough Arabs are not obwiged to serve in IDF, any Arab can vowunteer. In 2008 a Muswim Arab woman was serving as a medic wif unit 669.[50]
Cpw. Ewinor Joseph from Haifa became de first femawe Arab combat sowdier for IDF. Joseph said "dere was a Katyusha [rocket] dat feww near my house and awso hurt Arabs. If someone wouwd teww me dat serving in de IDF means kiwwing Arabs, I remind dem dat Arabs awso kiww Arabs."[51]
Oder Arab-Muswim officers who have served in de IDF are Second Lieutenant Hisham Abu Varia[52] and Major Awa Wahib, de highest ranking Muswim officer in de IDF in 2013.[53]
In October 2012 de IDF promoted Mona Abdo to become de first femawe Christian Arab to de rank of combat commander. Abdo had vowuntariwy enwisted in de IDF, which her famiwy had encouraged, and transferred from de Ordnance Corps to de Caracaw Battawion, a mixed-gender unit wif bof Jewish and Arab sowdiers.[54]
In 2014 an increase of Israewi Christian Arabs joining de army was reported.[55]
Ediopian Jews
The IDF carried out extended missions in Ediopia and neighboring states, whose purpose was to protect Ediopian Jews (Beta Israew) and to hewp deir immigration to Israew.[56] The IDF adopted powicies and speciaw activities for absorption and integration of Ediopian immigrant sowdiers, reported to have much improved de achievements and integration of dose sowdiers in de army, and Israewi society in generaw.[57][58] Statisticaw research showed dat de Ediopian sowdiers are esteemed as excewwent sowdiers and many aspire to be recruited to combat units.[59]
Men in de Haredi community may choose to defer service whiwe enrowwed in yeshivot (see Taw committee); many avoid conscription awtogeder. This speciaw arrangement is cawwed Torato Omanuto, and has given rise to tensions between de Israewi rewigious and secuwar communities. Whiwe options exist for Haredim to serve in de IDF in an atmosphere accommodating to deir rewigious convictions, most Haredim do not choose to serve in de IDF.
Haredi mawes have de option of serving in de 97f "Netzah Yehuda" Infantry Battawion. This unit is a standard IDF infantry battawion focused on de Jenin region, uh-hah-hah-hah. To faciwitate Haredi sowdiers to serve, de Netzah Yehuda miwitary bases fowwow de standards of Jewish dietary waws; de onwy women permitted on dese bases are wives of sowdiers and officers. Additionawwy, some Haredim serve in de IDF via de Hesder system, principawwy designed for de Rewigious Zionist sector; it is a 5-year program which incwudes 2 years of rewigious studies, 1½ years of miwitary service and 1½ years of rewigious studies during which de sowdiers can be recawwed to active duty at any moment. Haredi sowdiers may join oder units of de IDF, but rarewy do.
The IDF has identified[when?] a gap of hundreds of sowdiers in deir technicaw units dat might be fiwwed by de Haredi. The IAF is currentwy using defense contractors to fiww in de gaps and continue operations.[60]
Awdough de IDF cwaims it wiww not discriminate against women, it is offering Haredim "women free and secuwar free" recruitment centers. Defense Minister Moshe Ya'awon expressed his wiwwingness to rewax reguwations to meet de demands of uwtra-Ordodox rabbis. Reguwations regarding gender eqwawity had awready been rewaxed so dat Haredim couwd be assured dat men wouwd not receive physicaw exams from femawe medicaw staff.[61]
LGBT peopwe
Israew is one of 24 nations dat awwow openwy gay individuaws to serve in de miwitary. Since de earwy 1990s, sexuaw identity presents no formaw barrier in terms of sowdiers' miwitary speciawization or ewigibiwity for promotion, uh-hah-hah-hah.[62][63]
Untiw de 1980s de IDF tended to discharge sowdiers who were openwy gay. In 1983 de IDF permitted homosexuaws to serve, but banned dem from intewwigence and top-secret positions. A decade water, Professor Uzi Even,[64] an IDF reserves officer and chairman of Tew Aviv University's Chemistry Department, reveawed dat his rank had been revoked and dat he had been barred from researching sensitive topics in miwitary intewwigence, sowewy because of his sexuaw orientation, uh-hah-hah-hah. His testimony to de Knesset in 1993 raised a powiticaw storm, forcing de IDF to remove such restrictions against gays.[62]
The chief of staff's powicy states dat it is strictwy forbidden to harm or hurt anyone's dignity or feewing based on deir gender or sexuaw orientation in any way, incwuding signs, swogans, pictures, poems, wectures, any means of guidance, propaganda, pubwishing, voicing, and utterance. Moreover, gays in de IDF have additionaw rights, such as de right to take a shower awone if dey want to. According to a University of Cawifornia, Santa Barbara study,[64] a brigadier generaw stated dat Israewis show a "great towerance" for gay sowdiers. Consuw David Saranga at de Israewi Consuwate in New York, who was interviewed by de St. Petersburg Times, said, "It's a non-issue. You can be a very good officer, a creative one, a brave one, and be gay at de same time."[62]
A study pubwished by de Israew Gay Youf (IGY) Movement in January 2012 found dat hawf of de homosexuaw sowdiers who serve in de IDF suffer from viowence and homophobia, awdough de head of de group said dat "I am happy to say dat de intention among de top brass is to change dat."[65]
Deaf and hard-of-hearing peopwe
Israew is de onwy country in de worwd dat reqwires deaf and hard-of-hearing peopwe to serve in de miwitary.[66] Sign wanguage interpreters are provided during training, and many of dem serve in non-combat capacities such as mapping and office work. The major wanguage spoken by Deaf in Israew is Shassi–a Germanosign wanguage rewated to German Sign Language (DGS) and not Hebrew or any oraw wanguage–, dough Israew and Pawestine are home to numerous sign wanguages spoken by various popuwations wike Bedouins' ABSL.
According to a Care2 report, vegans in de IDF may refuse vaccination if dey oppose animaw testing.[67] They are given artificiaw weader boots and a bwack fweece beret.[68] Untiw 2014, vegan sowdiers in de IDF received speciaw awwowances to buy deir own food, when dis powicy was repwaced wif vegan food being provided in aww bases, as weww as vegan combat rations being offered to vegan combat sowdiers.[69]
In cases when a citizen cannot be normawwy drafted by de waw (owd age, served as a sowdier in a different country, severe heawf probwems, handicaps, autism, etc.), de person couwd enroww as a vowunteer in pwaces where his knowwedge can be used or in cases where dere is a base dat accepts vowunteer service from one day per week up to fuww-time service based upon a vowunteer's abiwities and wishes.
Overseas vowunteers
Non-immigrating foreign vowunteers typicawwy serve wif de IDF in one of five ways:
- The Mahaw program targets young non-Israewi Jews or Israewi citizens who grew up abroad (men younger dan 24 and women younger dan 21). The program consists typicawwy of 18 monds of IDF service, incwuding a wengdy training for dose in combat units or (for 18 monds) one monf of non-combat training and additionaw two monds of wearning Hebrew after enwisting, if necessary. There are two additionaw subcategories of Mahaw, bof geared sowewy for rewigious men: Mahaw Nahaw Haredi (18 monds), and Mahaw Hesder, which combines yeshiva study of 5 monds wif IDF service of 16 monds, for a totaw of 21 monds. Simiwar IDF programs exist for Israewi overseas residents. To be accepted as a Mahaw Vowunteer, one must be of Jewish descent (at weast one Jewish grandparent).
- Sar-Ew, an organization subordinate to de Israewi Logistics Corps, provides a vowunteer program for non-Israewi citizens who are 17 years or owder (or 15 if accompanied by a parent). The program is awso aimed at Israewi citizens, aged 30 years or owder, wiving abroad who did not serve in de Israewi Army and who now wish to finawize deir status wif de miwitary. The program usuawwy consists of dree weeks of vowunteer service on different rear army bases, doing non-combative work.
- Garin Tzabar offers a program mainwy for Israewis who emigrated wif deir parents to de United States at a young age. Awdough a basic knowwedge of de Hebrew wanguage is not mandatory, it is hewpfuw. Of aww de programs wisted, onwy Garin Tzabar reqwires fuww-wengf service in de IDF. The program is set up in stages: first de participants go drough five seminars in deir country of origin, den have an absorption period in Israew at a kibbutz. Each dewegation is adopted by a kibbutz in Israew and has wiving qwarters designated for it. The dewegation shares responsibiwities in de kibbutz when on miwitary weave. Participants start de program dree monds before being enwisted in de army at de beginning of August.
- Marva is short-term basic training for two monds.
- Lev LaChayaw is a program based at Yeshivat Lev Hatorah which takes a howistic approach to preparation for service. Being as ready as possibwe for integrating into Israewi cuwture, handwing de physicaw chawwenges of de miwitary, and maintaining rewigious vawues reqwire a muwti-pronged approach. The beit midrash wearning, cwasses, physicaw training, and even de recreationaw activities are designed to awwow for maximum readiness.
The IDF's mission is to "defend de existence, territoriaw integrity and sovereignty of de state of Israew. To protect de inhabitants of Israew and to combat aww forms of terrorism which dreaten de daiwy wife."[70] The Israewi miwitary's primary principwes derive from Israew's need to combat numericawwy superior opponents. One such principwe, is de concept dat Israew can't afford to wose a singwe war. The IDF bewieves dat dis is possibwe if it can rapidwy mobiwize troops to insure dat dey engage in combat in enemy territory.[71] In de 21st Century, various nonconventionaw dreats incwuding terrorist organizations, subterranean infrastructure operated by Hamas, etc have forced de IDF to modify its officiaw defense doctrine.[72] Awdough considered to be a very capabwe miwitary force, de IDF's freqwent powicing operations, dating to de First Intifada have diminished positive perception of its combat capabiwities.[73]
Main doctrine
The main doctrine consists of de fowwowing principwes:[74]
Basic points
- Israew cannot afford to wose a singwe war
- Defensive on de strategic wevew, no territoriaw ambitions
- Desire to avoid war by powiticaw means and a credibwe deterrent posture
- Preventing escawation
- Determine de outcome of war qwickwy and decisivewy
- Combating terrorism
- Very wow casuawty ratio
Prepare for defense
- A smaww standing army wif an earwy warning capabiwity, reguwar air force and navy
- An efficient reserve mobiwization and transportation system
Move to counterattack
- Muwti-arm coordination
- Transferring de battwe to enemy territory qwickwy
- Quick attainment of war objectives
Code of conduct
In 1992, de IDF drafted a Code of Conduct dat combines internationaw waw, Israewi waw, Jewish heritage and de IDF's own traditionaw edicaw code—de IDF Spirit (Hebrew: רוח צה"ל, Ru'ah Tzahaw).[75]
Stated vawues of de IDF
The document defines dree core vawues for aww IDF sowdiers to fowwow, as weww as ten secondary vawues (de first being most important, and de oders appearing sorted in Hebrew awphabeticaw order):[75]
- Core vawues
- Defense of de State, its Citizens and its Residents
- Love of de Homewand and Loyawty to de Country
- Human Dignity
- Oder vawues
- Tenacity of Purpose in Performing Missions and Drive to Victory
- Responsibiwity
- Credibiwity
- Personaw Exampwe
- Human Life
- Purity of Arms
- Professionawism
- Discipwine
- Comradeship
- Sense of Mission
Miwitary edics of fighting terror
In 2005, Asa Kasher and Amos Yadwin co-audored a noticed articwe pubwished in de Journaw of Miwitary Edics under de titwe: "Miwitary Edics of Fighting Terror: An Israewi Perspective". The articwe was meant as an "extension of de cwassicaw Just War Theory", and as a "[needed] dird modew" or missing paradigm besides which of "cwassicaw war (army) and waw enforcement (powice).", resuwting in a "doctrine (...) on de background of de IDF fight against acts and activities of terror performed by Pawestinian individuaws and organizations."[76]
In dis articwe, Kasher and Yadwin came to de concwusion dat targeted kiwwings of terrorists were justifiabwe, even at de cost of hitting nearby civiwians. In a 2009 interview to Haaretz, Asa Kasher water confirmed, pointing to de fact dat in an area in which de IDF does not have effective security controw (e.g., Gaza, vs. East-Jerusawem), sowdiers' wives protection takes priority over avoiding injury to enemy civiwians.[77] Some, awong wif Avishai Margawit and Michaew Wawzer, have recused dis argument, advancing dat such position was "contrary to centuries of deorizing about de morawity of war as weww as internationaw humanitarian waw",[78] since drawing "a sharp wine between combatants and noncombatants" wouwd be "de onwy morawwy rewevant distinction dat aww dose invowved in a war can agree on, uh-hah-hah-hah."[79]
The articwe was intended to (den Chief of Staff) Moshe Ya'awon, to serve as a basis for a new "code of conduct". Awdough Moshe Ya'awon did endorse de articwe's views, and is reported to have presented it numerous times before miwitary forums, it was never actuawwy turned into a binding IDF document or an actuaw "code", neider by Ya'awon nor its successors. However, de document have since reportedwy been adapted to serve as educationaw materiaw, designed to emphasizes de right behavior in wow intensity warfare against terrorists, where sowdiers must operate widin a civiwian popuwation, uh-hah-hah-hah.[80]
As of today "The Spirit of de IDF" (cf. supra) is stiww considered de onwy biding moraw code dat formawwy appwies to de IDF troops. In 2009, Amos Yadwin (den head of Miwitary Intewwigence) suggested dat de articwe he co-audored wif Asa Kasher be ratified as a formaw binding code, arguing dat "de current code ['The Spirit of de IDF'] does not sufficientwy address one of de army's most pressing chawwenges: asymmetric warfare against terrorist organizations dat operate amid a civiwian popuwation".[81]
Command and controw
According to de Israewi Basic Law: The IDF adopted in 1976, de IDF is subject to de audority of de Government. The Minister in charge of de IDF on behawf of de Government is de Minister of Defense. The supreme command wevew in de miwitary, de Chief of de Generaw Staff, de miwitary's Commander in Chief, is appointed by and subject to de audority of de civiwian Government and is subordinate to de Minister of Defense (not de Ministry of Defense itsewf).[citation needed]
However, in de years after de estabwishment of Israew, de Miwitary estabwishment enjoyed a degree of independence given to it by Ben-Gurion, uh-hah-hah-hah. This was evident in de attendance of de Chief of Generaw Staff in Cabinet and security Cabinet meetings as an eqwaw and not as a subordinate. Even after de Agranat Commission inqwiry fowwowing de 1973 Yom Kippur War, when de rowes, de powers, and de duties of de Prime Minister, Defense Minister and Chief of Generaw Staff were cwarified and de ruwes and standards of monitoring where estabwished between de miwitary and de powiticaw spheres, de miwitary stiww continued to enjoy disproportionate status at de expense of de civiwian audorities.[citation needed]
During 1950–66, Israew spent an average of 9% of its GDP on defense. Defense expenditures increased dramaticawwy after bof de 1967 and 1973 wars. They reached a high of about 30% of GDP in 1975, but have since come down significantwy, fowwowing de signing of peace agreements wif Jordan and Egypt.[82]
On 30 September 2009 Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Finance Minister Yuvaw Steinitz and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu endorsed an additionaw NIS 1.5 biwwion for de defense budget to hewp Israew address probwems regarding Iran, uh-hah-hah-hah. The budget changes came two monds after Israew had approved its current two-year budget. The defense budget in 2009 stood at NIS 48.6 biwwion and NIS 53.2 biwwion for 2010 – de highest amount in Israew's history. The figure constituted 6.3% of expected gross domestic product and 15.1% of de overaww budget, even before de pwanned NIS 1.5 biwwion addition, uh-hah-hah-hah.[83]
However, in 2011, de prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu reversed course and moved to make significant cuts in de defense budget in order to pay for sociaw programs.[84] The Generaw Staff concwuded dat de proposed cuts endangered de battwe readiness of de armed forces.[85] In 2012, Israew spent $15.2 biwwion on its armed forces, one of de highest ratios of defense spending to GDP among devewoped countries ($1,900 per person). However, Israew's spending per capita is bewow dat of de USA.[86]
Fiewd Rations
Fiewd rations, cawwed manot krav, usuawwy consist of canned tuna, sardines, beans, stuffed vine weaves, corn and fruit cocktaiw and bars of hawva. Packets of fruit fwavored drink powder are awso provided awong wif condiments wike ketchup, mustard, chocowate spread and jam. Around 2010, de IDF announced dat certain freeze dried MREs served in water activated disposabwe heaters wike gouwash, turkey schwarma and meatbawws wouwd be introduced as fiewd rations.[87]
One stapwe of dese rations was woof, a type of Kosher spam made from chicken or beef dat was phased out around 2008.[88] Food historian Giw Marks has written dat: "Many Israewi sowdiers insist dat Loof uses aww de parts of de cow dat de hot dog manufacturers wiww not accept, but no one outside of de manufacturer and de kosher supervisors actuawwy know what is inside."[89]
Weapons and eqwipment
Miwitary eqwipment
The IDF possesses various foreign and domesticawwy produced weapons and computer systems. Some gear comes from de US (wif some eqwipment modified for IDF use) such as de M4A1 and M16 assauwt rifwes, de M24 SWS 7.62 mm bowt action sniper rifwe, de SR-25 7.62 mm semi-automatic sniper rifwe, de F-15 Eagwe and F-16 Fighting Fawcon fighter jets, and de AH-1 Cobra and AH-64D Apache attack hewicopters. Israew has awso devewoped its own independent weapons industry, which has devewoped weapons and vehicwes such as de Merkava battwe tank series, Nesher and Kfir fighter aircraft, and various smaww arms such as de Gawiw and Tavor assauwt rifwes, and de Uzi submachine gun. Israew has awso instawwed a variant of de Samson RCWS, a remote controwwed weapons pwatform, which can incwude machine guns, grenade waunchers, and anti-tank missiwes on a remotewy operated turret, in piwwboxes awong de Israewi Gaza Strip barrier intended to prevent Pawestinian miwitants from entering its territory.[90][91] Israew has devewoped observation bawwoons eqwipped wif sophisticated cameras and surveiwwance systems used to dwart terror attacks from Gaza.[92] The IDF awso possesses advanced combat engineering eqwipment which incwude de IDF Caterpiwwar D9 armored buwwdozer, IDF Puma CEV, Tzefa Shiryon and CARPET minefiewd breaching rockets, and a variety of robots and expwosive devices.
The IDF awso has severaw warge internaw research and devewopment departments, and it purchases many technowogies produced by de Israewi security industries incwuding IAI, IMI, Ewbit Systems, Rafaew, and dozens of smawwer firms. Many of dese devewopments have been battwe-tested in Israew's numerous miwitary engagements, making de rewationship mutuawwy beneficiaw, de IDF getting taiwor-made sowutions and de industries a good reputation, uh-hah-hah-hah.[citation needed]
In response to de price overruns on de US Littoraw Combat Ship program, Israew is considering producing deir own warships, which wouwd take a decade[93] and depend on diverting US financing to de project.[94]
Main devewopments
Israew's miwitary technowogy is most famous for its firearms, armored fighting vehicwes (tanks, tank-converted armored personnew carriers (APCs), armoured buwwdozers, etc.), unmanned aeriaw vehicwes, and rocketry (missiwes and rockets). Israew awso has manufactured aircraft incwuding de Kfir (reserve), IAI Lavi (cancewed), and de IAI Phawcon Airborne earwy warning System, and navaw systems (patrow and missiwe ships). Much of de IDF's ewectronic systems (intewwigence, communication, command and controw, navigation etc.) are Israewi-devewoped, incwuding many systems instawwed on foreign pwatforms (esp. aircraft, tanks and submarines), as are many of its precision-guided munitions. Israew is de worwd's wargest exporter of drones.[95]
Israew Miwitary Industries (IMI) is known for its firearms. The IMI Gawiw, de Uzi, de IMI Negev wight machine gun and de new Tavor TAR-21 Buwwpup assauwt rifwe are used by de IDF. The Rafaew Advanced Defense Systems Spike missiwe is one of de most widewy exported ATGMs in de worwd.[96]
Israew is de onwy country in de worwd wif an operationaw anti-bawwistic missiwe defense system on de nationaw wevew – de Arrow system, jointwy funded and produced by Israew and de United States. The Iron Dome system against short-range rockets is operationaw and proved to be successfuw, intercepting hundreds of Qassam, 122 mm Grad and Fajr-5 artiwwery rockets fire by Pawestinian miwitants from de Gaza Strip.[97][98] David's Swing, an anti-missiwe system designed to counter medium range rockets, became operationaw in 2017. Israew has awso worked wif de US on devewopment of a tacticaw high energy waser system against medium range rockets (cawwed Nautiwus or THEL).
Israew has de independent capabiwity of waunching reconnaissance satewwites into orbit, a capabiwity shared wif Russia, de United States, de United Kingdom, France, Souf Korea, Itawy, Germany, de Peopwe's Repubwic of China, India, Japan, Braziw and Ukraine. Israewi security industries devewoped bof de satewwites (Ofeq) and de waunchers (Shavit).[99][100]
Israew is known to have devewoped nucwear weapons.[101] Israew does not officiawwy acknowwedge its nucwear weapons program. It is dought Israew possesses between one hundred and four hundred nucwear warheads.[101][102] It is bewieved dat Jericho intercontinentaw bawwistic missiwes are capabwe of dewivering nucwear warheads wif a superior degree of accuracy and a range of 11,500 km.[103] Israewi F-15I and F-16 fighter-bomber aircraft awso have been cited as possibwe nucwear dewivery systems (dese aircraft types are nucwear capabwe in de US Air Force).[104][105][106] The U.S. Air Force F-15E has tacticaw nucwear weapon (B61 and B83 bombs) capabiwity.[107] It has been asserted dat Dowphin-cwass submarines have been adapted to carry Popeye Turbo Submarine-waunched cruise missiwes wif nucwear warheads, so as to give Israew a second strike capacity.[108][109]
From 2006 Israew depwoyed de Wowf Armoured Vehicwe APC for use in urban warfare and to protect VIPs.
IWI Negev LMG
M24 Sniper Weapon System (2018)
A femawe sowdier of de unisex Caracaw Battawion armed wif de Israew Weapons Industries Tavor assauwt rifwe wif Meprowight 21 refwex sight.
Israew Aerospace Industries EL/W-2085, a devewopment of de EL/M-2075.[110]
"Saraph" AH-64D Apache Longbow
Iron Dome anti-rocket system wauncher
Typhoon Weapon Station armed wif 25 mm gun
The Pydon missiwe series.
David's Swing Weapons System Stunner Missiwe
Merkava Mk 4m wif Trophy active protection system, de first operationawwy tested Active Protection System for tanks.
Yom Hazikaron, Israew's day of remembrance for fawwen sowdiers, is observed on de 4f day of de monf of Iyar of de Hebrew cawendar, de day before de cewebration of Independence Day. Memoriaw services are hewd in de presence of Israew's top miwitary personnew. A two-minute siren is heard at 11:00, which marks de opening of de officiaw miwitary memoriaw ceremonies and private remembrance gaderings at each cemetery where sowdiers are buried. Many Israewis visit de graves of famiwy members and friends who were kiwwed in action, uh-hah-hah-hah. On de evening before de remembrance day aww shops, restaurants and entertainment pwaces must cwose gates to de pubwic no water dan 7 P.M. (de same routine and waw appwies to de day of remembrance of de Howocaust which takes pwace a week earwier).
The main museum for Israew's armored corps is de Yad La-Shiryon in Latrun, which houses one of de wargest tank museums in de worwd. Oder significant miwitary museums are de Israew Defense Forces History Museum (Batei Ha-Osef) in Tew Aviv, de Pawmach Museum, and de Beit HaTotchan of artiwwery in Zikhron Ya'akov. The Israewi Air Force Museum is wocated at Hatzerim Airbase in de Negev Desert, and de Israewi Cwandestine Immigration and Navaw Museum, is in Haifa.
Israew's Nationaw Miwitary Cemetery is at Mount Herzw. Oder Israewi miwitary cemeteries incwude Kiryat Shauw Miwitary Cemetery in Tew Aviv, and Sguwa miwitary cemetery at Petah Tikva.
Israew Defense Forces parades took pwace on Independence Day, during de first 25 years of de State of Israew's existence. They were cancewwed after 1973 due to financiaw and security concerns. The Israew Defense Forces stiww has weapon exhibitions country-wide on Independence Day, but dey are stationary.
Foreign miwitary rewations
Starting on de Independence day on 14 May 1948 (5 Iyar 5708), a strong miwitary, commerciaw and powiticaw rewationship were estabwished between France and Israew untiw 1969. The highest wevew of de miwitary cowwaboration was reached between 1956 and 1966.[112] At dis time France provided awmost aww de aircraft, tanks and miwitary ships. In 1969 de French president Charwes de Gauwwe wimited de export of weapons to Israew. This was de end of de "gowden age" 20 years of rewations between Israew and France.
United States
In 1983, de United States and Israew estabwished a Joint Powiticaw Miwitary Group, which convenes twice a year. Bof de U.S. and Israew participate in joint miwitary pwanning and combined exercises, and have cowwaborated on miwitary research and weapons devewopment. Additionawwy de U.S. miwitary maintains two cwassified, pre-positioned War Reserve Stocks in Israew vawued at $493 miwwion, uh-hah-hah-hah.[113] Israew has de officiaw distinction of being an American Major non-NATO awwy. As a resuwt of dis, de US and Israew share de vast majority[citation needed] of deir security and miwitary technowogy.
Since 1976, Israew had been de wargest annuaw recipient of U.S. foreign assistance. In 2009, Israew received $2.55 biwwion in Foreign Miwitary Financing (FMF) grants from de Department of Defense.[114] Aww but 26% of dis miwitary aid is for de purchase of miwitary hardware from American companies onwy.[114]
The United States has an anti-missiwe system base in de Negev region of Soudern Israew, which is manned by 120 US Army personnew.[citation needed]
In October 2012, United States and Israew began deir biggest joint air and missiwe defense exercise, known as Austere Chawwenge 12, invowving around 3,500 U.S. troops in de region awong wif 1,000 IDF personnew.[115] Germany and Britain awso participated.[116]
India and Israew enjoy strong miwitary and strategic ties.[117] Israewi audorities consider Indian citizens to be de most pro-Israew peopwe in de worwd.[118][119][120][121][122] Apart from being Israew's second-wargest economic partner in Asia,[123] India is awso de wargest customer of Israewi arms in de worwd.[124] In 2006, annuaw miwitary sawes between India and Israew stood at US$900 miwwion, uh-hah-hah-hah.[125] Israewi defense firms had de wargest exhibition at de 2009 Aero India show, during which Israew offered severaw state-of-de art weapons to India.[126] The first major miwitary deaw between de two countries was de sawe of Israewi EL/W-2090 AEW radars to de Indian Air Force in 2004.[127] In March 2009, India and Israew signed a US$1.4 biwwion deaw under which Israew wouwd seww India an advanced air-defense system.[128] India and Israew have awso embarked on extensive space cooperation, uh-hah-hah-hah. In 2008, India's ISRO waunched Israew's most technowogicawwy advanced spy satewwite TecSAR.[129] In 2009, India reportedwy devewoped a high-tech spy satewwite RISAT-2 wif significant assistance from Israew.[130] The satewwite was successfuwwy waunched by India in Apriw 2009.[131]
According to a Los Angewes Times news story de 2008 Mumbai attacks were an attack on de growing India-Israew partnership. It qwotes retired Indian Vice Admiraw Premvir S. Das dus "Their aim was to... teww de Indians cwearwy dat your growing winkage wif Israew is not what you shouwd be doing..."[132] In de past, India and Israew have hewd numerous joint anti-terror training exercises[133]
Germany devewoped de Dowphin submarine and suppwied it to Israew. Two submarines were donated by Germany.[134] The miwitary co-operation has been discreet but mutuawwy profitabwe: Israewi intewwigence, for exampwe, sent captured Warsaw Pact armour to West Germany to be anawysed. The resuwts aided de German devewopment of an anti-tank system.[135] Israew awso trained members of GSG 9, a German counter-terrorism and speciaw operations unit.[136] The Israewi Merkava MK IV tank uses a German V12 engine produced under wicense.[137]
In 2008, de website DefenseNews reveawed dat Germany and Israew had been jointwy devewoping a nucwear warning system, dubbed Operation Bwuebird.[138][139]
United Kingdom
During a secret operation in 1966, two British made "Chieftain" MBTs were brought to Israew for a 4 years wong evawuation for service wif de IDF. The pwan was for de IDF not onwy to purchase de British MBTs, but for IMI (Israewi Miwitary Industries) to buy production rights. As part of de deaw during de earwy 60's Israew purchased second hand "Centurion" MBTs from de British, dat used dat money in de "Chieftain" devewopment. After de triaws were done Israewi improvement and ideas were impwemented by de British manufacturer, but British powiticians cancewwed de agreement wif Israew and de program was shut down, uh-hah-hah-hah. The knowwedge earned during de improvements on de "Chieftain", togeder wif earwier experiments in tank improvements, gave de wast push for de devewopment and production of de "Merkava" tank.
United Kingdom has suppwied eqwipment and spare parts for Sa'ar 4.5-cwass missiwe boats and F-4 Phantom fighter-bombers, components for smaww-cawiber artiwwery ammunition and air-to-surface missiwes, and engines for Ewbit Hermes 450 Unmanned aeriaw vehicwes. British arms sawes to Israew mainwy consist of wight weaponry, and ammunition and components for hewicopters, tanks, armored personnew carriers, and combat aircraft.[140][141]
On 19 October 1999, Defense Minister of China, Generaw Chi Haotian, after meeting wif Syrian Defense Minister Mustafa Twass in Damascus, Syria, to discuss expanding miwitary ties between Syria and China, den fwew directwy to Israew and met wif Ehud Barak, de den Prime Minister and Defense Minister of Israew where dey discussed miwitary rewations. Among de miwitary arrangements was a $1 biwwion Israewi Russian sawe of miwitary aircraft to China, which were to be jointwy produced by Russia and Israew.[142]
Russia has bought drones from Israew.[143][144][145][146][147]
Israew is de second-wargest foreign suppwier of arms to de Peopwe's Repubwic of China, onwy after de Russian Federation. China has purchased a wide array of miwitary hardware from Israew, incwuding Unmanned aeriaw vehicwes and communications satewwites. China has become an extensive market for Israew's miwitary industries and arms manufacturers, and trade wif Israew has awwowed it to obtain "duaw-use" technowogy which de United States and European Union were rewuctant to provide.[148] In 2010 Yair Gowan, head of IDF Home Front Command visited China to strengden miwitary ties.[149] In 2012, IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz visited China for high-wevew tawks wif de Chinese defense estabwishment.[150]
As cwosewy neighboring countries, Israew and Cyprus have enjoyed greatwy improving dipwomatic rewations since 2010. During de Mount Carmew Forest Fire, Cyprus dispatched two aviation assets to assist fire-fighting operations in Israew – de first time Cypriot Government aircraft were permitted to operate from Israewi airfiewds in a non-civiw capacity.[151] In addition, Israew and Cyprus have cwosewy cooperated in maritime activities rewating to Gaza, since 2010, and have reportedwy begun an extensive sharing program of regionaw intewwigence to support mutuaw security concerns. On 17 May 2012, it was widewy reported dat de Israewi Air Force had been granted unrestricted access to de Nicosia Fwight Information Region of Cyprus, and dat Israewi aviation assets may have operated over de iswand itsewf.[152] Cyprus, as a former S-300 air-defense system operator, was specuwated by Greek media to have assisted Israew in strategic pwanning to chawwenge such air-defense systems, awongside shorter-range SAM systems, awdough dis remains unconfirmed.
Israew and Greece have enjoyed a very cordiaw miwitary rewationship since 2008, incwuding miwitary driwws ranging from Israew to de iswand of Crete. Driwws incwude air-to-air wong-distance refuewing, wong-range fwights, and most importantwy aiding Israew in outmaneuvering de S-300 which Greece has.[153] Recent purchases incwude 100 miwwion euro deaw between Greece and Israew for de purchase of SPICE 1000 and SPICE 2000 pound bomb kits. They have awso signed many defense agreements, incwuding Cyprus, in order to estabwish stabiwity for transporting gas from Israew-Cyprus to Greece and on to de European Union-a paramount objective to de future stabiwity and prosperity of aww dree countries, dreatened by Turkey.
Israew has provided extensive miwitary assistance to Turkey. Israew sowd Turkey IAI Heron Unmanned aeriaw vehicwes, and modernized Turkey's F-4 Phantom and Nordrop F-5 aircraft at de cost of $900 miwwion, uh-hah-hah-hah. Turkey's main battwe tank is de Israewi-made Sabra tank, of which Turkey has 170. Israew water upgraded dem for $500 miwwion, uh-hah-hah-hah. Israew has awso suppwied Turkey wif Israewi-made missiwes, and de two nations have engaged in navaw cooperation, uh-hah-hah-hah. Turkey awwowed Israewi piwots to practice wong-range fwying over mountainous terrain in Turkey's Konya firing range, whiwe Israew trains Turkish piwots at Israew's computerized firing range at Nevatim Airbase.[154][155] Untiw 2009, de Turkish miwitary was one of Israew's wargest defense customers. Israew defense companies have sowd unmanned aeriaw vehicwes and wong-range targeting pods.[156]
However, rewations have been strained in recent times. In de wast two years,[when?] de Turkish miwitary has decwined to participate in de annuaw joint navaw exercise wif Israew and de United States. The exercise, known as "Rewiant Mermaid" was started in 1998 and incwuded de Israewi, Turkish and American navies.[157] The objective of de exercise is to practice search-and-rescue operations and to famiwiarize each navy wif internationaw partners who awso operate in de Mediterranean Sea.[158]
Azerbaijan and Israew have engaged in intense cooperation since 1992.[159] Israewi miwitary have been a major provider of battwefiewd aviation, artiwwery, antitank, and anti-infantry weaponry to Azerbaijan, uh-hah-hah-hah.[160][161] In 2009, Israewi President Shimon Peres made a visit to Azerbaijan where miwitary rewations were expanded furder, wif de Israewi company Aeronautics Defense Systems Ltd announcing it was going to buiwd a factory in Baku.[162] In 2012, Israew and Azerbaijan signed an agreement according to which state-run Israew Aerospace Industries wouwd seww $1.6 biwwion in drones and anti-aircraft and missiwe defense systems to Azerbaijan, uh-hah-hah-hah.[163] In March 2012, de magazine Foreign Powicy reported dat de Israewi Air Force may be preparing to use de Sitawchay Miwitary Airbase, wocated 500 km (310 mi) from de Iranian border, for air strikes against de nucwear program of Iran,[164] water backed up by oder media.[165]
Oder countries
Israew has awso sowd to or received suppwies of miwitary eqwipment from de Czech Repubwic, Argentina, Portugaw, Spain, Swovakia, Itawy, Souf Africa, Canada, Austrawia, Powand, Swovenia, Romania, Hungary, Bewgium, Austria, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina,[166] Georgia,[167][168] Vietnam and Cowombia,[169] among oders.
The IDF is pwanning a number of technowogicaw upgrades and structuraw reforms for de future for its wand, air, and sea branches. Training has been increased, incwuding in cooperation between ground, air, and navaw units.[170]
The Israewi Army is phasing out de M-16 rifwe from aww ground units in favor of de IMI Tavor.[171] In addition, de IDF is now repwacing its outdated M113 armored personnew carriers in favor of new Namer APCs, wif 200 ordered in 2014, de Eitan AFV, and is upgrading its IDF Achzarit APCs.[172][173] The IDF awso announced pwans to streamwine its miwitary bureaucracy so as to better maintain its reserve force, which a 2014 State Comptrowwer report noted was under-trained and may not be abwe to fuwfiww wartime missions. As part of de pwans, 100,000 reservists and wiww be discharged, and training for de remainder wiww be improved. The officer corps wiww be swashed by 5,000. In addition, infantry and wight artiwwery brigades wiww be reduced to increase training standards among de rest.[174] The backbone of de IDF Artiwwery Corps, de M109 howitzer, wiww be phased out in favor of a stiww-undecided repwacement, wif de ATMOS 2000 and Artiwwery Gun Moduwe under primary consideration, uh-hah-hah-hah.[175] The IDF is awso pwanning a future tank to repwace de Merkava. The new tank wiww be abwe to fire wasers and ewectromagnetic puwses, run on a hybrid engine, run wif a crew as smaww as two, wiww be faster, and wiww be better-protected, wif emphasis on protection systems such as de Trophy over armor.[176][177]
The Israewi Air Force wiww purchase as many as 100 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets from de United States. The aircraft wiww be modified and designated F-35I. They wiww use Israewi-buiwt ewectronic warfare systems, outer-wings, guided bombs, and air-to-air missiwes.[178][179][180] As part of a 2013 arms deaw, de IAF wiww purchase KC-135 Stratotanker aeriaw refuewing aircraft and V-22 Osprey muwti-mission aircraft from de United States, as weww as advanced radars for warpwanes and missiwes designed to take out radars.[181] In Apriw 2013, an Israewi officiaw stated dat widin 40–50 years, piwoted aircraft wouwd be phased out of service by unmanned aeriaw vehicwes capabwe of executing nearwy any operation dat can be performed by piwoted combat aircraft. Israew's miwitary industries are reportedwy on de paf to devewoping such technowogy in a few decades. Israew wiww awso manufacture tacticaw satewwites for miwitary use.[182]
The Israewi Navy is currentwy expanding its submarine fweet, wif a pwanned totaw of six Dowphin cwass submarines. Currentwy, five have been dewivered, wif de sixf expected in 2017. It is awso upgrading and expanding its surface fweet. It is pwanning to upgrade de ewectronic warfare systems of its Sa'ar 5-cwass corvettes and Sa'ar 4.5 cwass missiwe boats,[183] and has ordered two new cwasses of warship: de Sa'ar 6-cwass corvette (a variant of de Braunschweig-cwass corvette) and de Sa'ar 72-cwass corvette (an improved and enwarged version of de Sa'ar 4.5-cwass). It pwans to acqwire four Saar 6-cwass corvettes and dree Sa'ar 72-cwass corvettes. Israew is awso devewoping marine artiwwery, incwuding a gun capabwe of firing satewwite-guided 155mm rounds between 75 and 120 kiwometers.[184][185]
See awso
Rewated bodies
References and footnotes
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- ^ a b "The Institute for Nationaw Security Studies", chapter Israew, 2012 Archived 7 September 2012 at de Wayback Machine 8 May 2012.
- ^ a b The Miwitary Bawance 2016, Internationaw Institute for Strategic Studies, 9 February 2016, p. 19 – Incwudes US Foreign Miwitary Assistance
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- ^ France & Iraq: Oiw, Arms And French Powicy Making in de Middwe East, I. B. Tauris, 2 Apriw 2006, By David Styan, pp. 39–47
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- ^ There are a wide range of estimates as to de size of de Israewi nucwear arsenaw. For a compiwed wist of estimates, see Avner Cohen, The Worst-Kept Secret: Israew's bargain wif de Bomb (Cowumbia University Press, 2010), Tabwe 1, page xxvii and page 82.
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The Haganah ("defense") was founded in June 1920...
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Furder reading
- Rosendaw, Donna (2003). The Israewis. Free Press. ISBN 978-0-7432-7035-9.
- Ostfewd, Zehava (1994). Shiftew, Shoshana, ed. An Army is Born (in Hebrew). Israew Ministry of Defense. ISBN 978-965-05-0695-7.
- Gewber, Yoav (1986). Nucweus for a Standing Army (in Hebrew). Yad Ben Tzvi.
- Yehuda Shif, ed. (1982). IDF in Its Corps: Army and Security Encycwopedia (18 vowumes) (in Hebrew). Revivim Pubwishing.
- Ron Tira, ed. (2009). The Nature of War: Confwicting Paradigms and Israewi Miwitary Effectiveness. Sussex Academic Press. ISBN 978-1-84519-378-2.
- Roiswien, Hanne Eggen (2013). "Rewigion and Miwitary Conscription: The Case of de Israewi Defense Forces (IDF)," Armed Forces & Society 39, No. 3, pp. 213–232.
- Country Briefing: Israew, Jane's Defence Weekwy, 19 June 1996
Externaw winks
- Officiaw website
- Israew Defense Forces ranks and insignia
- IDF Bwog – news and updates from de fiewd
- IDF Code of Conduct
- Moshe Yaawon, The IDF and de Israewi Spirit
- The IDF Spirit – de edicaw code of de IDF
- Pawestinian viowence and terror attacks since September 2000
- A wist of civiwians and sowdiers who died during Pawestinian terror attacks since September 2000
- CNN.com Speciaw – Victims of Terror
- isayeret.com – The Israewi Speciaw Forces Database
- Israewi Weapons
- Originaw Letters and Manuscripts: Ben-Gurion on de IDF Shapeww Manuscript Foundation
- Jerusawem vowunteer Border Guard
- Tsahaw-Miniature
- Israewi Armed Forces at Fwags of de Worwd
- IDF photos
- GwobawSecurity.org entry
- Israew's War History
- Israew Miwitary Forum
- UNwatch, Gowdstone Gaza Report: Cow. Richard Kemp Testifies at U.N. Emergency Session on YouTube