The Israeli military announced Tuesday it will appoint a first-ever female doctor to serve in an only male doctors unit at the special reconnaissance unit of the General Staff.
The female IDF officer will join the elite Sayeret Matkal unit this summer, and in the coming months will be integrated into the unit's medical team.
The officer is a graduate of the “Tzameret” program for the training of academic medical reserve, aimed at coaching doctors for military service.
During her military service in the Medical Corps, she held roles in various combat field units, and is considered one of the few female doctors who managed to break through the IDF ranks in this area of expertise.
Her appointment is a part of the military's plan to promote female officers across all IDF corps and units, and it was recently approved by the Chief Medical Officer Brigadier General Professor Alon Glazberg. The IDF did not give any further details on the appointment due to military censorship rules regarding the elite unit.
2 View gallery
IDF female combat officer with other female soldiers near Egypt-Israel border
(Photo: AFP)
The doctor's friends said it was her lifelong dream to serve in the prestigious unit.
"It's amazing she got to it, but it's not surprising. She is one of the best and a very special person, she is a combination of first-class professionalism and uncompromising humanity."
The IDF has decided to make a change in its policy after noticing that most combat female officers retire at the age of 30-25 to start a family. According to the new policy, the military will build a personal service route for female officers to enable them to start a family, along with continuing service in the combat corps.