The IDF Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, has approved the continuation of a pilot program to examine the integration of women into the maneuvering armored corps. The pilot is expected to begin with the November 2026 enlistment cycle. The decision was made after lengthy discussions within the IDF and amid public and military debate surrounding the initiative.

According to the framework approved during a General Staff meeting held this week, the pilot will take place within the Border Defense unit rather than as part of the regular armored brigades.

The Armored Corps will provide professional guidance only, while the unit established for the pilot will be completely gender-separate. Women and men will not serve in the same tank, undergo the same training, or be assigned to the same company.

The decision was made against the backdrop of  significant opposition from rabbis and figures within the Religious Zionist community. More than 25 heads of hesder yeshivas and pre-military academies reportedly expressed opposition to the move and warned that they would not send their students to the Armored Corps if it were to be categorized as a mixed-gender service framework.

The planning discussion held this week included senior General Staff officers, among them Ground Forces Commander Nadav Lotan, Head of the Personnel Directorate Dado Bar Kalifa, Military Advocate General Itai Ofir, Chief Military Rabbi Eyal Karim, the Chief of Staff’s adviser on charedi affairs Avinoam Emunah, and the Chief of Staff’s adviser on gender affairs Rozital Aviv.

At the opening of the discussion, Zamir emphasized the IDF’s need for every soldier, male and female, in light of the numerous challenges and operational fronts facing the military. He praised women currently serving in various combat and support roles, citing the “determination, professionalism, and high motivation” they demonstrate.

The Chief of Staff stated that the pilot project’s success would be measured according to two primary criteria:

• Full compliance with the professional standards required of armored corps soldiers, based on existing operational benchmarks and without compromise.
• The establishment of a functional combat framework capable of providing full professional training and, eventually, operational capability for routine security missions and combat operations.

Zamir stressed that the most recent war highlighted the importance of individual battlefield readiness, from operating weapons systems to fully integrating into team-based combat operations. According to him, any future expansion of the program will depend on proving full operational effectiveness.

In addition, the Chief of Staff emphasized the need to safeguard the physical health of female soldiers. He noted that the unusually high injury rates observed in previous pilot programs were unacceptable and that training must therefore be structured to reduce injuries as much as possible without lowering operational standards.

The IDF clarified that there is currently no intention to integrate female soldiers into the regular armored brigades. If the pilot is ultimately deemed successful, women would serve within a dedicated framework of at least company size. When operating under a combat task force, adjustments would be required in accordance with the IDF’s Joint Service Ordinance.

At present, female tank operators serve within the Border Defense Array, carrying out routine security missions, patrols, surveillance, and anti-smuggling operations. Among these units is the “Pere” company within the Caracal Battalion, whose female soldiers participated in the battles of October 7 and helped stop the advance of Hamas militants in southern Israel.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Zamir instructed the IDF to continue preparations for launching the pilot program in the November enlistment cycle, in accordance with the approved criteria and guidelines.