Only two years ago the IDF Rescue Division officially received brigade status, but despite the short time, the Brigade has recorded many operational achievements.
Brigade fighters participated in many incidents in Israel and around the world, such as aid missions to the Philippines, Nepal, and Mexico, and the collapsed parking lot at Ramat Hahayal, besides operational deployment in Israel's current security sectors.
Today, three of the Brigade's battalions are in operational employment, one in the Southern Command and two in Judea and Samaria. Ram Battalion, which spent three-and-a-half months deployed in the greater Jerusalem area of the Binyamin Brigade, completes the sector today.
Battalion responsibility also includes Route 443 leading to Jerusalem. This is an operational sector, and therefore work there must continue around the clock.
"In the day-to-day, the battalion carries out tactical operations, especially in the Judea and Samaria region, and when necessary, can always jump to rescue incidents in Israel and abroad to save lives," said Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Shlomi Ben Yair. "We're always ready for any eventuality. At night we could carry out an arrest in a Palestinian village, and on the following day work to rescue trapped people at a demolition site. We work day and night against terror and carry out many activities, such as patrols, arrests, and seizure of weapons. Knowing that you work 24 hours in never-ending around-the-clock activity, being with your commanders and soldiers, and allowing children right next to you to go safely to school, only strengthens the deployment."
During his deployment in Binyamin the battalion carried out more than 110 offensive activities and, of course, carried out arrests and seizures in real time every day. Only recently there were a number of incidents in the sector, with the help of forward observers directing the force, the soldiers carried out arrests of suspects and found weapons.
Ben Yair concludes, "The work isn't simple - we always face new challenges. I'm very proud of my soldiers for successful operational employment, and wish the battalion success in training."