The Israel Defense Forces, known as the IDF (in Hebrew), are the armed forces of the State of Israel, consisting of ground forces, air forces and naval forces. This is the main and only body of the Israeli security forces that does not have civil jurisdiction in the state. The IDF is headed by the chief of the General Staff (Ramatkal), who reports to the Israeli Minister of Defense. Lieutenant General Beni Ganz has been ramatkal since 2011.
What is characteristic of the Israeli army throughout its diverse history is the desire for innovation, the constant maximization of the resources at its disposal (both technological and human).
The Israeli army always pays great attention to the importance of improvisation in order to protect small and vulnerable territories of the country. It was developed to meet the unique needs for defense and security within the borders of its own state, initially tuning in to advanced technologies.
She has an obligation to maintain meritocracy and has proven her ability to work with hundreds of thousands of immigrants, with refugee people. I must say that almost a quarter of the current officer corps are former immigrants.
The Israeli army (its officers and soldiers) represents an association of people from different social and religious backgrounds: from kibbutzim, from developed cities, Druze from the North, Bedouins from the South, Jewish volunteers from other countries of the world.
The history and development of the Israeli armed forces can be described by contrast. On the one hand, it is a modern army, officially founded in 1948 by order of the Minister of Defense David Ben-Gurion as a draft from the underground militarized organizations “Hagan”, “Etzel” and “LEKHI”.
Today, the Israeli army is considered one of the most professional and effective in the world. Air forces, special forces, intelligence, engineering units were the first in the world to use many innovative tactics that are studied in the armies of other countries. The technology of ballistic missiles, electro-optics and other fields is almost always world-class breakthroughs.
Research units make a huge contribution to the field of advanced technologies, the use of which is much wider than just the introduction of weapons. Soldiers from these units after the end of service are highly valued in civilian professions. They successfully adapt their army experience in areas such as programming, medical research.
On the other hand, the Israeli army retains the traditions and symbolism characteristic of the ancient Israelites. She is considered one of the most informal and least hierarchical. It’s usual when officers eat and sleep in the same room as their subordinate soldiers. The Israeli army has an important educational function, providing special courses for illiterate recruits, organizing benefits for soldiers from dysfunctional and poor families. In addition, saluting and parades are used minimally.
It differs from most other armed forces in the world in many ways. First of all, by the structure itself, emphasized by the close ties between the ground forces, the air force and the naval forces. The uniqueness of the fact that the service in the Israeli army is mandatory for men and women. It is the only country in the world that maintains compulsory military service for women, continuing the tradition of women fighters who fought during the Israeli War of Independence. Men serve for three years, women for a little less than two years.