Military
::Israel
The Israel Defense Forces consists of the Israeli Army,
and Israeli Navy. It was founded during the 1948
Arab-Israeli War by consolidating paramilitary
organizations—chiefly the Haganah—that preceded the
establishment of the state. The IDF also draws upon the
resources of the Military Intelligence Directorate (Aman),
which works with the Mossad and Shabak. The Iefense Forces
have been involved in several major wars and border
conflicts in its short history, making it one of the most
battle-trained armed forces in the world.
The majority of Israelis are drafted into the military
at the age of eighteen. Men serve three years and women
serve two to three years. Following compulsory service,
Israeli men join the reserve forces and do several weeks
of reserve duty every year until their forties. Most women
are exempt from reserve duty. Arab citizens of
Israel and those engaged in full-time religious
studies are exempt from military service, although the
exemption of yeshiva students has been a source of
contention in Israeli society for many years. An
alternative for those who receive exemptions on various
grounds is Sherut Leumi, or national service, which
involves a program of service in hospitals, schools and
other social welfare frameworks. As a resut of its
conscription program, the IDF maintains approximately
168,000 active troops and an additional 408,000 reservists
.
Israeli soldiers training alongside the
26th Marine Expeditionary Unit on the USS Kearsarge
The nation's military relies heavily on high-tech
weapons systems designed and manufactured in Israel as
well as some foreign imports. The United States is a
particularly notable foreign contributor; military aid to
Israel is expected to increase by 6 billion over the next
decade. US is expected to provide the country with $3.15
billion per year from 2013-2018. The Israeli- and
U.S.-designed Arrow missile is one of the world's only
operational anti-ballistic missile systems.
The IDF introduced from 2008
Since the Yom Kippur War, Israel has developed a
network of reconnaissance satellites. The success of the Ofeq
program has made Israel one of seven countries capable of
launching such satellites. The country has also developed
its own main battle tank, the Merkava. Since its
establishment, Israel has spent a significant portion of
its gross domestic product on defense. In 1984, for
example, the country spent 24% of its GDP on defense.
Today, that figure has dropped to 7.3%.
Israel is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons.
Israel has not signd the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
and maintains a policy of deliberate ambiguity
toward its nuclear capabilities. Israel's policy of
nuclear ambiguity may have played an important role in
subduing Israel's enemies.
After the Gulf War in 1991, when Israel was attacked by
Iraqi Scud missiles, a law was passed requiring all
apartments and homes in Israel to have a mamad, a
reinforced security room impermeable to chemical and
biological substances.
International
deployments
After the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, Israel
mobilized a team of 150 IDF doctors and rescue and relief
teams, which were to set up a field hospital in Sri Lanka.
After the Sri Lankan government rejected this offer,
Israel instead flew in 82 tonnes of humanitarian aid along
with a small number of IDF personnel. Israel also sent in
rescue workers and medical personnel to other countries,
along with relief workers and body identifiers from ZAKA
and the Israel Police. Israel also donated USD $100,000 to
each affected country.
After the 2010 Haiti earthquake, a rescue team was
dispatched to Haiti, which consisted of 40 doctors, 20
nurses and rescue workers, and two rescue planes loaded
with medical equipment and a field hospital with X-rays,
intensive care units, and operating rooms. The Israel
Defense Forces set up a satellite communications room with
phone and wireless internet access and video conference
systems so that surgeons could consult medical experts in
Israel. Magen David Adom delegation arrived on January 17
to establish field clinics in cooperation with local
rescue services. The Israeli rescue team remained in Haiti
until January 28. Following a request from the United
States and United Nations, Israel sent 100 police officers
as peacekeepers to Haiti. A group of police forensics
investigators to assist in the identification of victims
was also sent, along with 220 Home Front Command search
and rescue teams and Israeli Medical Corps personnel.
Military branches:
|
Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Israel Naval Forces
(IN), Israel Air Force (IAF) (2010)
|
|
Military service age and obligation:
|
18 years of age for compulsory (Jews, Druzes)
and voluntary (Christians, Muslims, Circassians)
military service; both sexes are obligated to
military service; conscript service obligation -
36 months for enlisted men, 21 months for
enlisted women, 48 months for officers; pilots
commit to 9 years service; reserve obligation to
age 41-51 (men), 24 (women) (2010)
|
|
Manpower available for military service:
|
males age 16-49: 1,771,661
females age 16-49: 1,687,698
(2010 est.)
|
|
Manpower fit for military service:
|
males age 16-49: 1,496,542
females age 16-49: 1,425,537
(2010 est.)
|
|
Manpower reaching militarily significant age
annually:
|
male: 61,613
female: 58,679
(2010 est.)
|
|
Military expenditures:
|
7.3% of GDP (2006)
country
comparison to the world: 6 |
|