Despite widely-propagated myths about the Israeli Defense Forces’ supposed gender equality, the Israelis have successfully staved off feminist demands for equality in its armed forces for far longer than most Western militaries. However, the pushiness of feminists knows no bounds, and even the Israelis are starting to feel the heat. So, in a move that demonstrates some ingenuity on the part of IDF conservatives, the IDF has created a Human Resources battalion, and then promoted a woman to general to lead an army of paper-pushing bureaucrats.
From Ha’aretz (Israel’s left-wing publication):
…the recommendations of a committee headed by Maj. Gen. (res. ) Yehuda Segev that the army itself appointed in 2008 – namely, to adopt a model of full equal opportunity for women – is being advanced only at the margins. The barrier stems from the same source: the high command’s tendency to avoid clashes with the religious leadership, which it sees as having its hand on the tap from which high-quality personnel flows into combat units.
Moreover, the exclusion of women from field units serves the interests of conservative forces within the army – including secular officers – who see the integration of women as a threat to the army’s capabilities, as the religious rationale grants them a convenient legitimization.
Under these circumstances, the question arises as to what exactly is intended by the appointment of a female major general to head the Human Resources Branch, of all things.
Israel, of course, needs a top-notch, effective military to maintain viability in the region. Its neighbors – including the tough, Shia Muslim warriors who comprise the fighting ranks of Hizbollah – have no moronic delusions about women’s equality in the field, so the Jewish state must remain vigilant to secure its territorial integrity. Perhaps the specter of submission to Allah’s fighting men, who certainly wouldn’t brook much provocation from noisy, pushy and Godless women, has a quieting effect on Israeli feminists, but Israeli men should keep in mind that these types have a rather limited grasp of the concept of consequences, so I imagine keeping the feminists at bay will involve some struggle over the coming years.
