Women in the Israel Defense Forces

Female soldiers of the IDF First IDF ordnance officer of Ethiopian Jewish origin Women in the Israeli Defense Forces are female soldiers who serve in the Israel Defense Forces . Israel is the one of only a few countries in the world (along with Norway and Eritrea ) with a mandatory military service requirement for women. Women have taken part in Israel’s military before and since the founding of the state in 1948, with women comprising 33% of all IDF soldiers and 51% of its officers, in 2011, fulfilling various roles within the Ground , Navy and Air Forces. The 2000 Equality amendment to the Military Service law states that "The right of women to serve in any role in the IDF is equal to the right of men." As of now, 88% to 92% of all roles in the IDF are open to female candidates, while women can be found in 69% of all positions. Formerly women conscripts served in the Women's Army Corps , commonly known by its Hebrew acronym, CHEN . After a five-week period of basic training they served as clerks, drivers, welfare workers, nurses, radio operators, flight controllers, ordnance personnel, and course instructors. Norway becomes first NATO country to draft women into military , Reuters, June 14 2013 Statement by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea, Sheila B. Keetharuth, after her visit to Tunisia and Malta , OHCHR , November 25 2013 "Statistics: Women's Service in the IDF for 2010, 25 Aug 2010" . "More female officers in more positions in the IDF" (Press release).

Female infantry instructors prepare for a combat exercise Graduates of Israeli Air Force flight course Female soldier of the search and rescue unit during combat training The women in the Israel Defense Forces are female soldiers who serve in the Israel Defense Forces . Israel is one of only a few countries in the world with a mandatory military service requirement for women. According to the IDF, 535 female Israeli soldiers had been killed in combat operations between the period 1962-2016 (this figure does not include the dozens of female soldiers killed in Israeli service prior to 1962). Women have taken part in Israel’s military before and since the founding of the state in 1948, fulfilling various roles within the Ground , Naval and Air Forces. The 2000 Equality amendment to the Military Service law states that "The right of women to serve in any role in the IDF is equal to the right of men." Up until 2001, women conscripts served in the Women's Corps , commonly known by its Hebrew acronym, CHEN . After a five-week period of basic training they served as clerks, drivers, welfare workers, nurses, radio operators, flight controllers, ordnance personnel, and course instructors. As of 2011, 88% of all roles in the IDF are open to female candidates, while women can be found in 69% of all positions. In 2014, the IDF said that fewer than 4 percent of women are in combat positions such as infantry, tank crews, artillery guns service, fighter pilots, etc. Rather, they are concentrated in "combat-support".

Female Israeli infantry instructors preparing for a combat exercise, 2010 Female graduates of the Israeli Air Force flight course, 2011 Israel is one of only a few countries where military service is compulsory for all able-bodied female citizens. Under Israeli conscription laws , the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) may draft recruits from three communities: the Jews , the Druze , and the Circassians . As the latter two communities are less populous, their women are not required to serve. Women from the Jewish majority are not exempted from the conscription laws, but serve for slightly shorter terms than male conscripts. All women who are exempted from the conscription laws may still enlist voluntarily. Jewish women who are called up for military service may apply for an exemption on humanitarian, religious, or certain legal grounds . Those who claim such an exemption will typically be redirected to Sherut Leumi , the alternative means of national service. According to Israeli military statistics, 535 female soldiers had been killed while serving between the years of 1962 and 2016. The IDF's regulated integration of women is rooted in the days of the Yishuv , when Jewish women served in the ranks of various Zionist paramilitaries during the 1947–1949 Palestine War . In 1999–2000, an amendment was made to the Women's Equal Rights Law of Israel by which men and women became fully equalized — although separately — in the Israeli military apparatus. Until 2001, female conscripts served in the Women's Corps , or Chayil Nashim (CHEN; ). After a five-week-long period in basic training , they could serve as clerks, drivers, welfare workers, nurses, radio operators, flight controllers, ordnance personnel, and course instructors. As of 2011 , around 88% of all IDF roles were open to female candidates. Concurrently, women were enlisted in 69% of all military positions available to them. Amidst the 2014 Gaza War , the IDF stated that fewer than 4% of their female soldiers were enlisted in combat positions, such as infantry and helicopter/fighter pilots, and that they were instead concentrated in a variety of "combat-support" positions.