There has been a 200% increase in the number of Bedouins enlisting in the IDF within the last two years, said IDF Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, at a meeting this week with the chairman of the Heads of Bedouin Councils in the North, Hassan El Haib.
Nine Bedouin soldiers who were part of the recent Golani Brigade draft are the latest proof of the growing involvement of the Bedouin community in the IDF. The IDF says that the soldiers are deployed in all of its units, including the various Infantry Corps units and especially tracker and reconnaissance units, and pay a significant and important contribution. A large percentage of Bedouin soldiers serve in the Desert Reconnaissance Battalion which is stationed in the Israel-Egypt-Gaza area. The IDF also recently began organizing employment fairs for discharged Bedouin soldiers in order to
better integrate them into Israeli society after their military service.
The significant increase of Bedouin enlistment in the IDF was brought about by the joint effort of Bedouin leaders, the Human Resources Directorate and the General Staff. Other factors leading to the larger drafts are economic reasons and the general atmosphere among most of the Bedouin population, who believe that the way to integrate into Israeli society is through military service.
Mr. El Haib thanked the Chief of the General Staff for the efforts made by the IDF for the promotion and welfare of Bedouin soldiers, and asked the IDF for help in facing various government institutions in the search of employment and housing for discharged Bedouin soldiers.