ISRAEL - All-Women Commando Unit

Amid attempts by some in Israeli society to prevent women from serving in combat roles in the IDF, the air force is quietly establishing a special commando unit, similar to the General Staff Reconnaissance Unit, composed entirely of female soldiers.

An IDF official said that its creation represents a broader shift in the mindset of the IDF, and the air force in particular, toward integrating women into significant and complex combat roles.

The air force noted that after the war, there was a significant increase in the number of women motivated to join combat roles.

The air force highlighted that the unit’s main purpose is rapid response, moving from routine to extreme situations within minutes. Recruits must react quickly to infiltration or complex threats at air force bases or other strategic Israeli facilities. As such, training is designed around realistic operational scenarios simulating potential events at air force installations.

-www.jpost.com, 19 May 2026

Commentary: Israel does not operate a voluntary military force. It is compulsory. The mandatory military service for young men in Israel is 3 years; women are currently required to serve for 2 years.

Several points must be made about the military in Israel.

First of all, most are eager to be in the military. They know their duty.

The second noticeable difference between Israel and all other nations is that they are not trained to hate the enemy.

As a matter of fact, this writer, having been to Israel multiple times, noticed that hate is virtually absent from Jewish society.

Why are they so willing to be in the service of their nation? We may have a clue to our answer by the name of the commando unit called “Arad.” Here we are reminded of Number 21:1: “And when king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south, heard tell that Israel came by the way of the spies; then he fought against Israel, and took some of them prisoners.”

A Google search reveals: “In the Bible, Arad is both a prominent place and a minor personal name, with meanings generally translating to ‘wild donkey,’ ‘wild ass,’ or ‘fugitive.’” Not a complementary definition for a special commando unit of women. But it’s very fitting since King Arad, the Canaanite, aggressively opposed Israel entering the Promised Land. That, incidentally, is precisely the determined resolution of all Arab states: to oppose the Jews returning to the land of their fathers.

In the meantime, neighbors such as Egypt, Jordan, and Syria have learned their lesson not to meddle in Israel’s affairs militarily.

We believe there is more to this desire to be part of the defense of Israel. Here the words of Ezekiel 28:25 are significant: “Thus saith the LORD God; When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob.” Thus, the geopolitical developments in the land of Israel are God’s beginning stage of the fulfillment of the last sentence of that chapter: “and they shall know that I am the LORD their God” (v. 26b).

(See Israel on High Alert, Item #2343, $15.99.)