IDF Orders Female Soldiers to Relocate During Netanyahu Visit to Respect Haredi Troops in South Lebanon

During Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent visit to IDF forces in South Lebanon, commanders instructed female artillery soldiers to move to a different building to avoid being seen by Haredi soldiers from the Hachshmonaim Brigade. This directive was reportedly given to honor the religious sensitivities of the Haredi troops. The visit, which also included Defense Minister Israel Katz, involved meetings and photo sessions with soldiers from the Hachshmonaim Brigade who had arrived from another outpost.

According to the mother of one of the female artillery soldiers, the soldiers prepared the building by cleaning and reinforcing it for the visit, but four female soldiers were then required to leave the building for the duration of Netanyahu's presence. They were told that the Hachshmonaim soldiers had been promised they would not see female soldiers at the site, so the women had to relocate to a lower floor and remain there for about four hours. The official explanation given by the staff was that this was done out of respect for the Haredi soldiers.

Moran Zar Katzenshtein, founder of Bonot Alternativa and a Democratic Party primary candidate, condemned the incident, highlighting a recent letter signed by over 400 female officers calling to eradicate such discriminatory practices in the IDF. She criticized the military for failing to implement shared service regulations and called on the Chief of Staff to clarify procedures and issue a formal order to prevent similar occurrences in the future. She stated, "The apology for our presence has ended."