Israel Society

By Pesach Benson • May 29, 2025

Jerusalem, 29 May, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The Israeli military is halting its current training cycle for female combatants in the infantry mobility profession, citing health concerns and physical performance challenges, the Israel Defense Forces announced on Thursday. Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir ordered the planning of a new, adapted pilot program for female combatants in infantry roles to be launched next year.

According to the IDF Spokesperson, while female trainees demonstrated strong achievements in professional fields on par with their male counterparts, they struggled to meet the physical demands required for the role.

“The findings revealed that the achievements of female soldiers in the professional fields are very high and similar to those of male soldiers,” the spokesperson said. “However, female soldiers… are not expected to successfully complete the required content that qualifies for the profession.”

The IDF also cited medical concerns, including the risk of injury due to increased physical workload.

Zamir’s decision was based on recommendations from the Commander of the Ground Forces, Maj. Gen. Nadav Lotan, and a review of six months of training data. Despite the challenges, the military emphasized that the program received significant oversight, including close monitoring by medical and training personnel.

The IDF affirmed its commitment to integrating women into service, noting that over 90% of military positions are currently open to women and that they make up about 20% of combat recruits.

“The commanders appreciated the effort of the female soldiers to participate in the experience, and pledged to reassign them as meaningfully as possible,” the spokesperson added.