IDF Blog | The Official Blog of the Israel Defense Forces

Guest Post: Gay and a Combat Soldier

idfspokesperson — Wed, 16 May 2012 22:55:42 +0000

Cpl. Ido is a soldier in the Israeli Navy, serving in the “Snapir” unit, which protects Israel’s ports. He’s also gay and a proud member of the LGBT community. In honor of the International Day Against Homophobia, he agreed to share his story.

Cpl. Ido (left) at the ceremony concluding the "Snapir" training course

Hey, folks. I’m a combat soldier in a front-line military unit. I’m also gay. Practically an oxymoron, right? How can the stereotype of a “man’s man”–militant, tough, a veritible Rambo–be compatible with an emotional, liberal, and even feminine identity?

If anyone would actually ask me that, um, I wouldn’t even know what to say. Yet here I am: gay and serving in a combat unit.

The only reasonable answer, for me at least, is that before I’m gay, I’m an Israeli and a law-abiding citizen. Therefore, I need to serve in the army. Since I also wish to contribute to my society and help defend my country to the best of my ability, I tried out for a position in the Israeli Navy. First I tried out for missile ships, but then I was offered another position in the “Snapir” (Hebrew: ‘Fin’) unit. Basically, they’re the guys in charge of protecting Israel’s ports and making sure nobody smuggles in anything illegal, which is pretty cool. That’s where I serve today.

Cpl. Ido, a soldier in the Israeli Navy's "Snapir" Unit, in his natural habitat

Not “the gay one”

My unit is pretty small, but has really great people. The training is very intense, meant to prepare the soldiers for a hard service. I ran, climbed, swam, dived, crawled–and that was just the first half of the day. I never felt, though, that my sexual orientation mattered to anyone.

I’ll be honest: I didn’t tell all the guys in my course, although there’s a chance they’ll find out once they read this. I didn’t tell them because I didn’t want to be labeled as “the gay one”. I wanted people to get to know me first. Fortunately they did, and through more than my sexual orientation, too.

Some of the guys knew, of course. Israel’s a tiny country, made even tinier by Facebook, and through shared friends word gets around. One guy did 4 hours of guard duty with me and once we got talking, he asked me. I answered him honestly, and I never even imagined he’d do anything malicious with this information (not that it’s exactly a state secret). I’m glad to say his behavior hasn’t changed a bit, and I’ve always been comfortable going out on missions with him and the other guys, or hanging out in the spare time we have.

Cpl. Ido in the Israeli Navy uniform, at a beach in Tel-Aviv

Being inoffensive is an order, even for homophobes

Of course, some people are less lucky. Even today “gay” is used as a derogative by many people, mostly teens. Commanders are well-briefed about the proper use of language and take care not to use it in an insulting way. Somtimes it helps, sometimes not so much. But at least in the army being inoffensive is an order people have to follow, even the homophobes.

Personally, if I ever experience homophobia, I know the IDF has got my back and my commanders will support me 100%. There’s no dearth of cases where soldiers complained about sexual harrassment regarding their sexual orientation, and the offenders were punished. At the end of the day the army is comprised of the people, among them the LGBT community.

The IDF takes care to promote and encourage those with motivation and willpower, which is why I could get into an elite unit. It’s also why many out-and-proud gay soldiers serve in high-ranking positions in the IDF. There’s simply no connection between a person’s abilities and his sexual orientation–and I’m glad the IDF realizes that.

If you found this post interesting, check out more guest posts by IDF soldiers, or visit our official website. For real-time updates, follow us on Twitter.

These are the Soldiers Who Thwarted Last Week’s Terror Attacks

idfspokesperson — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:09:53 +0000

Every week, Palesitnians try to smuggle weapons or explosives through the crossings in Judea and Samaria. The soldiers at these crossings are in a bind: the person in front of them could be innocently seeking entry into Israel, or they could be perpetrating the next terror attack.

Two soldiers, Cpl. Stav and Cpl. Mercedes, helped thwart another attack at the Kalandia crossing when they arrested terrorists bearing an illegal rifle last week (May 7th). Today they’ll share with us their stories.

Archive: Weaponry found in Judea and Samaria

Cpl. Stav, 19 years old, was born in northern Israel. She enlisted to the IDF at the age of 18, like most Israelis, and was recruited to the Military Police Corps. Last week she caught a Palestinian man trying to smuggle a gun past the crossing. She emphasizes that the most important part of her day-to-day work is to help the people in the crossings as much as possible, but adds:

“This isn’t the first time I’ve caught Palestinians suspected of threatening Israeli citizens… despite the hardships, I’m very proud of my job.”

Cpl. Mercedes, 20 years old, didn’t want to serve at the crossings at first, but gradually realized how important her role was to Israel’s security. At present, even though sometimes exhausted by the work, she is satisfied. Last week, she played a vital role in arresting the suspects when she alerted the rest of the soldiers at the crossing that a suspect was armed.

In April of 2012 alone, there were over 60 attempted terror attacks: 54 Molotov cocktails, 2 explosives devices, 2 stabbings incidents and 2 incidents of live fire at Israeils.

Archive: M-16 Gun Found in Judea and Samaria

If you found this post interesting, check out the 2012 terror attacks against Israel you never heard about, or visit our official website. For real-time updates (including thwarted terror attacks), follow us on Twitter.

“Sweden was boring, so I joined the IDF”

idfspokesperson — Fri, 11 May 2012 12:42:35 +0000

Yossi Käyhkö moved to Israel from Sweden when he was 19 years old and joined the Israel Defense Forces. He’s agreed to answer a few questions about his experiences as a new immigrant in Israel and a soldier in the IDF.

Yossi Käyhkö while on a break from patrol duty.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I was born in Sweden in 1991 in a town who called Landskrona. When I was 7 years old, I moved with my mother to my grandfather’s town, called Värnamo. It is a little town, one where all the kids know each other. I grew up with only my mother.

I’m a person who likes to try new stuff and see different things. And I love to meet new people all the time. In my free time from high school, I really loved to go to the gym and train. I had a job on the side when I was in school — I worked in McDonalds for 3 years. It was kind of hell, but I had the pleasure of making my own money instead of having to ask my mother for money, which I really hate to do. I’m a guy who loves to take care of himself without help from anybody else.

What made you want to leave Sweden?

Every day of my life I was waiting to finish high school so that I could leave Sweden , go to Israel, and join the army. My desire to do that started when I was nine years old. My mother and I were on a trip to Israel, and I saw all the soldiers — they were like gods to me. After that trip I told my mother that I want to be a soldier when I get older. My mother, bless her, supported me in my decision.

But the biggest reason that I wanted to leave Sweden was this: It was really boring. You do the same thing all the time there — go the same places with the same friends for years and years. And all my friends wanted to do after graduating was go straight to work. I thought that I could always go to work a little bit later in my life. First I wanted to see new things, meet new people and learn as much as I could in the real world. Also, I hated the weather in Sweden — it’s cold all the time.

When did you move to Israel?

I moved to Israel in 2010, when I was 19 years old. I had just graduated from high school, and two weeks later I went to Israel. First I worked on a kibbutz as a volunteer for two months. I needed a place to live and get all my papers in order before I joined the army. In August, I left the kibbutz and was drafted into the Israel Defense Forces.

What was your draft day like? How was your Hebrew?

My first day in the army was really fun. I was really nervous, actually. I knew nothing about the army. But I wasn’t scared. I was thinking that I will take everything as it comes to me. My Hebrew was really bad — I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t read. For my first three months in the army, I was sent to a base with other new immigrants where I studied Hebrew. After those three months, I could speak a little and read a little, but it still wasn’t enough.

Now, almost two years later, my Hebrew is better. I can speak to people, and I understand them when they talk to me. It’s still hard, but I take it day by day.

Yossi (second from left) with friends from the unit in the field

How was your training?

I wished that it could have been a little harder. I loved the training, but I’m really happy that I finished it. My training lasted for eight months. What I loved most was to be in the outdoors — I had never been so close to nature in my life. We were sleeping on stones and mud, and in rain and in heat. It was really hard in the beginning, but I got used to it.

What I really hated was waking up so early in the morning. But I got to see the sunrise, and it was amazing to see the sun come over the mountains.

What was difficult for you?

I remember one thing that made me crazy. It was during field week, when we had to stay outdoors, away from the base for a full week. It was raining, and there was mud everywhere — I was covered in it — and it was difficult to walk because it was slippery, and hard to see ahead because of the rain. At that moment I was screaming in my head, “What did I join the army? Why? Why? Why?”

We also had long marches of about 40 kilometers. On the one hand they were really hard, but on the other hand I felt like a king when I finished something so difficult. The next day my feet were destroyed and my shoulders were screaming with pain. But I was proud to get through it all.

Where are you in the IDF now? Any regrets?

I’m in the Kfir infantry brigade. I’m trained in urban warfare. I’m really happy that I ended up in Kfir. I even signed for more time because I love to be here. I was supposed to be released from the army in January, but I signed for four more months just so that I could remain with my friends in my unit. I had some friends who were in different units. They didn’t sign for more time, so I guess they didn’t have as much fun as I am having. Anyway, no, I have no regrets about joining the IDF.

What advice would you give to people who are thinking of joining the IDF?

I would recommend the army to anybody. You learn a lot of new things, and you will see things in Israel that you would not be able to see in civilian life. Yes, sometimes times are tough and you just want to take a long break, but with a good attitude you can overcome anything.

Do you know somebody who would like to be interviewed for IDF Blog? Let us know: email newmedia@idfspokesperson.com and we might publish their story here.

If you found this post interesting, check out other stories about IDF soldiers, or visit the official IDF website. For real-time updates, follow us on Twitter.

The 2012 Terror Attacks Against Israel You Never Heard About

idfspokesperson — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:48:11 +0000

Very little of what actually goes on in Israel is reported by mainstream media. A lot of incidents are never published–though they’re very significant. Here’s a brief recap of the incidents which were just short of the next big terror attack, but which you probably never heard of:

January 2: IDF force captured 2 Palestinian men carrying illegal guns. The two were taken in for investigation near Nablus while the M-16 rifle, an Uzi, and matching ammunition they carried were confiscated by security forces.

January 15: IDF force uncovered a hunting rifle and a shotgun in a Palestinian’s house in the village of Dahariya, near Hebron. The man was known to the police on previous charges of criminal violence.

Archive: Weaponry Uncovered in Palestinian's Home

February 21: A powerful explosive device was uncovered along the Israel-Egypt border. Israeli forces saw a man hurling a suspicious bag and immediately fleeing the scene. The explosive was detonated in a controlled manner. No one was hurt.

April 11: IDF forces stopped a would-be bomber over Passover at a checkpoint east of Nablus, northern Samaria. The terrorist was carrying improvised explosive devices, three knives and 50 bullets.

April 21: 2 Palestinian teens carrying bombs and guns were nabbed by Israeli forces. They were apprehended near Tapuach junction with 5 pipe bombs, a gun, and ammo.

April 24: IDF forces uncovered 4 improvised bombs on two Palestinians at a crossing north of Jericho. The bombs were found in the men’s bags and detonated safely.

April 28: IDF forces nabbed 2 terrorists with 4 pipe bombs as they were trying to smuggle explosives through a checkpoint in northern Samaria.

May 7: Israeli forces arrested 17-year-old Palestinian for carrying 3 pipe bombs. The teen was detained near Tapuach junction, a known hotspot for terror attacks.

May 10: Israeli forces arrested 2 Palestinians carrying 2 explosive devices and 3 prepped firebombs near Tapuach Junction, again.

Highlighted above were just some of the many examples of the security threats that the IDF confronts on a daily basis. The alertness of IDF soldiers and their success in these operations is what prevents terror attacks against Israel.

If you found this post interesting, read more about Judea and Samaria, or visit our official website. For real-time updates, follow us on Twitter.

Firefighting 101: Home Front Command on Lag BaOmer

idfspokesperson — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:02:04 +0000

Lag BaOmer is a Jewish holiday celebrated in commemoration of the anniversary of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai‘s death, also linked by some to the Bar Kokhba revolt. On this day, Jewish children traditionally light bonfires.

Though one of the most festive holidays on the Jewish calendar, it is also one of the most dangerous. Firefighters in the IDF Home Front Command are always ready in case they need to extinguish fires that get out of control.

The IDF has complemented Israeli civilian fire services since 2001. Today, every region in Israel has a unit of IDF fire fighters who are ready to offer their services in an emergency situation. Last night, these squads spread over Israel, helping to take out hundreds of out-of-control fires.

Major General Amir Eshel Appointed Commander of the Israeli Air Force

idfspokesperson — Thu, 10 May 2012 13:42:36 +0000

In a ceremony held today in Tel Aviv’s “Rabin” (Hakirya) Base, Major General Amir Eshel was appointed Commander of the Israeli Air Force. Minister of Defense, Mr. Ehud Barak, the IDF Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Benny Gantz, as well as members of the general staff and their families attended the ceremony.

Major General Amir Eshel, the new IAF commander

Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel replaced Maj. Gen. Ido Nehushtan, who has held the position for the past four years and has completed 37 years of military service.

Minister of Defense Barak conveyed his best wishes to Maj. Gen. Eshel, and said: “for the past two generations, the IAF has been Israel’s most critical and decisive component and the keystone of its deterrence capabilities.”

The IDF Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Gantz, thanked Maj. Gen. Nehushtan for his service, saying: “we have the best Air Force in the world. The IAF has an immediate, significant and strategic value.”

Maj. Gen. Nehushtan said: “the IAF operates every day, every minute, 365 days a year, across Israel and around the world guarding the State of Israel.”

Nehushtan wished the best to Maj. Gen. Eshel and said that he solely trusts him to stand at the head of the Israeli Air Force.

Maj. Gen. Eshel thanked the Defense Minister and the IDF Chief of the General Staff for trusting him with the position and said: “Maj. Gen. Ido Nehushtan leaves a strong and capable Air Force designed in his image. We face significant challenges, but are ready for any future task.”

Men In White: The Raid on Sabena Flight 571

idfspokesperson — Tue, 08 May 2012 12:23:53 +0000

What’s so special about Flight 571?

On May 8, 1972, a flight from Belgian airline Sabena set off from Vienna towards Tel Aviv, named Flight 571. Twenty minutes after takeoff, it was hijacked by four terrorists–two men, two women–from the Black September terror group. This set off a series of events leading up to Operation Isotope–one of the most daring rescue operations in the history of Israel.

Following the terrorists’ attempt to break into the cockpit, Reginald Levy, the plane’s captain, kept his cool and attempted to relax his passengers by entertaining them through a loudspeaker conversation with the terrorists, about everything from navigation to sex.

Captain Reginald Levy, who piloted the Sabena Flight 571. "I talked about everything under the sun, from navigation to sex."

Aboard the plane, the terrorists were demanding the release of 315 Palestinian prisoners being held in Israeli jails, claiming they would blow up the plane if their demands were not met.

Captain Levy sent in distress signals, which were received by Israeli Security Minister Moshe Dayan. Dayan immediately began negotiations with the terrorists, while simultaneously planning a covert rescue operation: Operation Isotope.

The Sabena flight reached Tel-Aviv, landing in Lod Airport (now Ben-Gurion Airport). Captain Levy was sent out to show the waiting Israelis a sample of the explosives on the plane, to convince them of the threat. Aboard the plane, passengers were crying or hysterical.

A team of 16 elite commandos (Hebrew: Sayeret Matkal) approached the grounded aircraft in white overalls, disguised as airplane technicians. They convinced the terrorists that the aircraft was in desperate need of repairs.

Elite commandos disguised as airplane technicians in white attempt to board the aircraft.

Within ten minutes of boarding the plane, the squad of elite commandos managed to kill the two male terrorists, arrest the two female terrorists, and neutralize the threat to the passengers. Nearly all civilians on board were unharmed, except for three, one of whom later died from her injuries. Among the commandos were Ehud Barak and Benjamin Netanyahu–both of whom eventually became Israeli prime ministers.

Ehud Barak, third disguised airplane technician from the left holding the handgun, walks off the plane after successfully completing the operation with his team.

The surviving female terrorists were sentenced to life in Israeli prison, but were later released in the prisoner exchange deal following the 1982 Lebanon War.

Black September members were also involved in the notorious 1972 Munich massacre, where 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage and eventually murdered.

Black September terrorists during the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre of the Israeli Olympic team

Black September operatives were also targeted in Operation Spring of Youth, which involved elite Sayeret soldiers sneaking into Beirut dressed as women.

What happened to the plane after the hijacking?

The same airplane that was victim to the hijacking was flown for an additional five years before being sold to the Israeli Air Force (IAF). The IAF ended up using it to carry out spy missions.

Current PM Benjamin Netanyahu is congratulated by former Israeli President Zalman Shazar during a ceremony honoring the elite commandos who rescued the hostages from the Sabena Flight 571.

If you found this post interesting, check out more historical IDF operations, or visit our official website. For real-time updates, follow us on Twitter.

IDF Basic Training Officer: Up Close and Personal

idfspokesperson — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:14:58 +0000

Every IDF soldier, no matter what his or her job in the army will be, must go through basic training. These first weeks in the IDF can be frustrating and tiring, but they are essential for helping new recruits make the transition from civilian to soldier.

2nd Lt. Heelie is an IDF basic training officer. Her job is to train her soldiers to be prepared for combat, but she also teaches them how to be prepared for life. Here she talks about her service and shows us a glimpse of what she does every day:

IDF’s Anti-Abduction Campaign

idfspokesperson — Mon, 07 May 2012 12:35:41 +0000

We’ve launched a new campaign aimed at preventing abductions of soldiers, by warning them of the dangers of hitchhiking. Brig. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, the IDF Spokesperson, explains:

“The goal of the campaign is to inspire changes to the travel habits of soldiers, by having them understand the risk directly and from their families.”

In the aftermath of the deal to free Gilad Shalit, Hamas has spoken openly of its desire to kidnap more IDF soldiers and trade them for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. The Shin Bet recently announced that it had uncovered a Hamas plot to do just that. The Gaza-based terrorist group has a long history of abducting IDF soldiers.

Sergeant 1st Class Gilad Shalit during his captivity in a Hamas prison. Photo: MAKO

To read more about the security threats originating from Gaza: The Truth about Hamas.

Guest Post: Enlisting to the IDF… Twice

idfspokesperson — Sun, 06 May 2012 15:55:14 +0000

Every IDF soldier remembers his first day in the army, but no one remembers as well as Sgt. Ephraim Dissen — the only soldier who enlisted to the Nahal Brigade twice. Today we feature a guest post written by him.

Sgt. Ephraim Dissen (left) and his comrade in the battalion

The decision to make Aliyah was not an easy one. I was born in Chicago, where I graduated high school. After more than 18 months of science and math studies, I decided to enlist to the IDF. So I did. That’s just the way I am.

I took part in the Mahal program, which brings hundreds of foreign volunteers to serve in the IDF. I enlisted to the Nahal Brigade (which is undoubtedly the army’s most awesome unit) and became a part of the Shaham battalion. After 14 months of hard service, I finished my service and went back to my previous life in Chicago.

Less than six months after signing up for uni, I decided I’d had enough. I packed my bags, and in a (slightly, ahem, rash) decision decided to return to Israel — this time for good. Coming back made it clear to me I was not done with my army service. AI arrived at the recruiting base — again — where I demanded to be a part of the Nahal Brigade. Again.

This time, I joined the battalion’s reconnaissance platoon. Looking back at my service so far, I have no doubt I made the right decision, and even after being released from the army, I plan to keep on living in Israel.

To read more about incredible stories like Ephraim’s, check out our blog and official website. For live updates follow us on Twitter.