Woman & Special Forces

Over the years there have been many myth and misconceptions regarding the combat status of woman in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), most of them incorrect.

The combat history of female soldiers in the IDF can be dividend into three:

• 1948 - War of Independence - women on full combat status

• 1948-Late 1990's - no women are allowed in combat positions

• Late 1990's - women are taking more and more combat positions in the IDF

Unit 669-first three airborne paramedics

As an army created during war, when first formed in 1948 the IDF used what ever personnel it had as warriors regardless of gender. After the War of Independence ended and until the late 1990's no women were allowed in combat positions, except for an attempt in the 1950's to accept women to flight school.

However, women did take over almost all field instructing positions in the IDF and, as such, were issued weapons, but they were not, combatants just instructors.

In the mid 1990's following an appeal to the Israeli Supreme Court the IDF was forced to accept women to its famous flight school. Additional Supreme Court appeals as well as political pressure caused the IDF to open more combat positions to women.

Today female soldiers can be found on combat status in the following positions, involving male and female fighting formations:

• Artillery

• Anti Aircraft corps in the Surface to Air Missiles (SAM) elements.

• Combat Engineering corps in the Atomic Biological Chemical (ABC) unit.

• Light infantry (Karakal) - positioned in the peaceful border with Egypt.

• Military Police (Sachlav) - stationed in the Occupied Territories, usually in Hebron.

• MAGAV - SAMAG - a special patrol unit.

• Israeli Police - YASAM - a special patrol unit akin to the MAGAV SAMAG.

• Air Crew including fighter pilots.

• Naval officers

• Unit 869 - in peacetime borders, mainly along the peaceful border with Egypt.

Helicopter airborne mechanics - there are currently three female airborne mechanics in the Israeli Air Force (IAF). Two are assigned to UH60 Blackhawk and one to CH53.

The first IAF CH53 airborne mechanic

The first female IAF airborne mechanic. She was assigned to a UH60 Blackhawk helicopter.

There are also few female operators in various roles in Special Forces units:

• Unit YAMAG - the female operators here are combatants similar to the male ones.

• Unit 669 - the woman in the unit are airborne paramedics replacing reserve personnel. During mission they will deploy from the helicopter and make the actual rescue as the man, but rather will stay in the helicopter and provide medical assistance.

• Unit YABAN - the woman operators in the unit act as defense divers.

• Unit Oket'z - the unit has two types of female canine handlers
  - Non combatants - belong to the Rescue Palga and participate in civilian Search And Rescue (SAR) missions.
  - Combatants - receive extensive combat training and are placed in borders check points in the Occupied Territories, in order to do weapons and explosives searches in vehicles and on civilians.