Israel Deploys All-Women Tank Crews on Egypt, Jordan Borders

Israeli army will deploy all-women tank crews within months across borders with Egypt and Jordan, according to Israel Hayom newspaper and the Jewish News Syndicate. 

“The male army members will be assigned for more important missions such as fighting and engagement in clashes in case of field wars,” the newspaper known for close ties with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in its report on Friday. 

As for the all-female tank crews, the Israeli reports noted that they are assigned to “defend the borders, securing withdrawal operations, with no privilege to advance onto the enemies’ territories unlike the fighting units at wars.”

[caption id="attachment_111260" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Israeli women on tanks across Egypt and Jordan borders[/caption]

There are two peace agreements between Israel on one hand and Egypt and Jordan one the other hand. Bothe were signed in 1978 and 1994 respectively.

Israel believes that Hezbollah, which controls southern Lebanon, and the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by the Palestinian Hamas movement, in the south, is Tel Aviv’s bitter enemy.

The all-female tank crews that Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will create this year are allegedly aim to defend the borders against “terrorists intrusion.”

[caption id="attachment_111262" align="aligncenter" width="580"] Israeli women on tanks across Egypt and Jordan borders[/caption]

"The tank units in the wartime pisions train for combat against the well-equipped terrorist armies in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza. In contrast, the Border Defense Array units help free up the wartime units for more training by permanently taking over border-defense missions in the south of Israel,” the Israeli reports, published in the above mentioned sources, added. 

The reports noted that the first recruitment will occur in August or November, adding that “Training for the teams will take place at the Armored Corps’ main base as Shizafon, north of Eilat.”

In 2018, a pilot program was held. The IDF announced, at that time, that there is a potential for women tank crew members to serve, with certain limitations in regard to the core capabilities of all personnel.