Yeshiva students serving in Battalion 603 have voiced opposition to serving alongside a female paramedic assigned to the battalion’s engineering vehicles.
According to the soldiers, they were informed that refusing to serve alongside the paramedic could lead to disciplinary or legal action. The issue was subsequently referred to military authorities for review.
In response, a spokesperson for the IDF said the matter had been addressed by the relevant command authorities. “The IDF works to enable tailored service arrangements for its servicemembers, within existing guidelines and procedures," the spokesperson said.
An inquiry by Arutz Sheva - Israel National News reported that, following objections raised by the Hesder yeshiva students, the officers who initially warned them about possible prosecution ultimately decided not to pursue disciplinary measures. According to the report, the soldiers will also not be required to serve alongside the paramedic.
At the same time, a separate complaint was raised by soldiers serving in Battalion 9212 on the border of the Gaza Strip. In that case, a female soldier was reportedly assigned to a post without prior arrangements regarding conditions for mixed service. However, it was clarified that even before the inquiry was submitted to the military spokesperson, local commanders had already addressed the situation.
The organization Hotem, through its “Wives of Soldiers for the Sanctity of the Camp" initiative, criticized gender-mixed service in certain military settings.
In a statement, the group said that while Israel is engaged in what it described as an existential war, reserve soldiers are leaving their homes to defend the country, yet gender integration policies harm soldiers and their families. The statement argued that men and women should not be placed together in certain operational environments such as guard posts, living quarters, armored vehicles, searches, or shared facilities, claiming this contradicts moral and religious principles.
The group also argued that debates over drafting members of the haredi community cannot be separated from the issue of gender integration in the military. It called on Defense Minister Israel Katz to intervene and address what it described as a policy that harms soldiers’ performance and dignity during wartime.