HIV-positive Israelis will be conscripted into the military for the first time, the army said Wednesday, a move welcomed by gay rights groups as an important step against discrimination, AFP reports.
While Israeli Jews are required to do military service, people with HIV have long been exempt on medical grounds.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed this policy would be scrapped in the coming months. However, HIV-positive soldiers will not serve in combat roles but in administrative and other positions.