IDF Responds to Hesder Yeshiva Letter: “Men and Women Will Not Serve Together”

Photo: Avir Sultan/Flash90

The IDF responds to the hesder yeshiva letter: “Men and women will not serve together”

Yuval Aharoni, about an hour ago

Following News 14’s exposure of the letter from hesder yeshiva heads opposing the integration of female combat soldiers in the Armored Corps, the IDF responded and clarified that even if the pilot is approved, men and women will not serve together in the same company. The IDF also stressed that it is in continuous contact with hesder rabbis and that the issue has not yet been brought before the chief of staff for discussion and a decision.

After we published yesterday, Tuesday, for the first time the letter from the heads of hesder yeshivot, stating that they would no longer send their students to serve in the Armored Corps following the advancement of female combat integration in the corps, the IDF Spokesperson responded to the letter. According to the IDF, in any case, even if the pilot succeeds, men and women will not serve together in the same company.

"After about two and a half years of intense, multi-front, unprecedented war, in which the IDF’s operational missions have expanded and the burden on the reserve force has increased significantly, the IDF needs every soldier and every female soldier," the IDF Spokesperson began. "As the people’s army, the IDF sees supreme importance in integrating all population groups, while making a great effort to preserve their way of life and needs, in a manner that does not harm one population at the expense of another."

According to him, "The High Court of Justice did not instruct the IDF to recruit female combat soldiers into the Armored Corps, but rather instructed it to conduct the planned pilot on the matter. The IDF is working to integrate women into combat roles wherever possible. A pilot, as its name suggests, is a preliminary trial for the purpose of examining further steps. The pilot will be carried out in accordance with the joint service order, while ensuring compliance with all required operational and professional standards, and in accordance with operational need."

Photo: IDF Spokesperson

The IDF emphasized that "among all the options being examined in the pilot, there is no alternative in which men and women will serve together in the same framework. As of now, the pilot has not yet reached the chief of staff’s desk, and the matter will be discussed soon."

The IDF also added a direct reference to the letter, saying that "senior IDF officials have been in continuous contact in recent months with the heads of hesder yeshivot and their representatives, alongside additional figures in the national religious public in this context."

In conclusion, it was written that "the IDF values and appreciates the contribution of all soldiers, male and female, including hesder yeshiva members, to the security effort across all arenas."

As noted, yesterday we first published in the edition the harsh letter signed by the heads of major hesder yeshivot, whose students number in the hundreds and are about to be drafted into the IDF. In the letter, the rabbis officially announced that they would no longer send their students to be drafted into the Armored Corps.

Photo: IDF Spokesperson

In the letter, the rabbis wrote: "We, the heads of hesder yeshivot whose students are at the front of the fighting, view with great severity the High Court’s decision to compel the IDF to integrate female combat soldiers into the maneuvering Armored Corps. After serious consideration, we decided that service in the Armored Corps is forbidden by Jewish law, and therefore we will not send our students to serve in the Armored Corps starting with the next draft."

According to the rabbis, the IDF is completely ignoring them, as well as their requests and the demands of students slated for service. By contrast, the IDF emphasizes that any change is examined according to operational needs and while maintaining the readiness of the forces.

Women’s enlistment, IDF Spokesperson, Armored Corps, hesder yeshivot