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| Israel Defense Forces | |
|---|---|
| Military manpower | |
| Military age | 18 years of age |
| Availability | males age 15-49: 1,499,186 (2000 est.)
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| Fit for military service | males age 15-49: 1,226,903 (2000 est.)
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| Reaching military age annually | males: 50,348 (2000 est.) females: 47,996 (2000 est.) |
| Military expenditures | |
| Dollar figure | $8.7 billion (FY99) |
| Percent of GDP | 9.4% (FY99) |
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) ( Hebrew: צבא ההגנה לישראל Tsva Ha-Haganah Le-Yisrael ("[Army] Force [for] the Defense of Israel"), often abbreviated צה"ל Tsahal, alternative English spelling Tzahal, is the name of Israel's armed forces (army, air force and navy). It was formed following the founding of Israel in 1948 to "defend the existence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the state of Israel" and "to protect the inhabitants of Israel and to combat all forms of terrorism which threaten the daily life." The predecessors to the IDF were the Haganah (in particular, its operational branch, the Palmach) and the British armed forces, in particular the Jewish Brigade that fought during World War II. See also Jewish legion.
After the establishment of the IDF, the two Jewish underground organizations the Etzel and Lehi came under control of the IDF. But they were allowed to operate independently in Jerusalem until the end of the 1948 Arab-Israeli war after which they eventually disbanded.
For detailed IDF history, see: Israel Defense Forces History.
The IDF falls under the command of a single general staff. The current chief of staff is (Lieutenant) General (Rav-Aluf) Moshe (Bogie) Ya'alon, answerable to the Minister of Defense.
The Chief of the General Staff (in Hebrew: רמטכ"ל, pronounced: Ramatkal) is the high commander of the IDF and answers to the Defense ministerA defence minister ( Commonwealth English) or defense minister ( American English) is a cabinet portfolio (position) which regulates the armed forces in a sovereign nation. The minister or secretary of defense is usually a very important role in a cabinet and the Prime minister. All Ramatkals are in the rank of (Lieutenant) General (in Hebrew: רב אלוף , pronounced: "Rav Aluf").
Note about ranks: if the ranks of the IDF are to be translated one-to-one to Western rankMilitary rank or simply rank is a system of grading seniority and command within military organizations. Navy uses naval rate for enlisted men. A separate set of ranks was also used for secular, and occasionally ecclesiastic, rulers, as discussed in Rankss then a "Rav Aluf" is equivalent to Lieutenant GeneralLieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. A Lieutenant General ranks immediately below a General and above a Major General. In the US Army, US Marine Corps and US Air Force a Lieutenant General is a three-star general. In the British A (since Major GeneralMajor General is a military rank used in many countries. It is derieved from the older rank of "Sergeant Major General". A major general is a high-ranking officer subordinate to a full General. In the United States Army, Marine Corps and Air Force a Major is "Aluf"). But since Rav Aluf in Israel is the senior commander of the armed forces (including the army, air force, and navy), the translation of it as " General" is more appropriate.
National military service is compulsory for Jewish men and women over the age of 18, although exemptions may be made on religious and medical grounds. Israel is the only country which currently has female conscriptionConscription or mandatory military service is a general term for government policies that require citizens to serve in their armed forces. It is known by various names, for example, in the United States it is known colloquially as the Draft . However, the. The fact that an increasing number of people in the Haredi community are exempt, has been a source of tension in Israeli society. Druze also serve in the IDF. In recent years, some Druze officers have reached positions in the IDF as high as Major General. Israeli Arabs, with few exceptions, are not required to serve, though they may volunteer.
Six Israeli Arabs have received orders of distinction as a part of their military service; of them the most famous is a Bedouin officer, Lieutenant Colonel Abd El-Amin Hajer (also known as Amos Yarkoni), who received the Order of Distinction. Recently, a Bedouin officer was promoted to the rank of Colonel.
Men serve three years in the IDF, as do the women in combat positions, while women in non-combat positions serve two. The IDF requires women who volunteer for combat positions to serve for three years because combat soldiers must undergo a lengthy period of training, and the IDF wants to get as much use of that training as possible. In addition, men serve up to one month annually of reserve service, up to the age of 43-45. No direct social benefits are tied to completion of military service, but doing it is sometimes required for attaining security clearance and serving in some types of government positions (in most cases, security-related); Israeli Arabs claim, however, that this puts them at a disadvantage.
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