Editing Israel Defense Forces (section)

===Bedouins and Israeli Arabs===
[[File:Bedouin IDF1949.jpg|thumb|Bedouin soldiers in 1949]]
[[File:Israeli soldiers and Arabs.jpg|thumb|Israeli Arab soldiers, serving in the [[Galilee]] in 1978]]
[[File:Flickr - Israel Defense Forces - Bedouin Soldier with Schoolchild.jpg|thumb|Bedouin Desert Reconnaissance Battalion, visiting an Arab school]]

By law, all Israeli citizens are subject to conscription. The Defense Minister has complete discretion to grant exemption to individual citizens or classes of citizens. A long-standing policy dating to Israel's early years extends an exemption to all other Israeli minorities (most notably [[Israeli Arab]]s). However, there is a long-standing government policy of encouraging [[Bedouin]]s to volunteer and of offering them various inducements, and in some impoverished Bedouin communities a military career seems one of the few means of (relative) social mobility available. Also, Muslims and Christians are accepted as volunteers, even if older than 18.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aka.idf.il/brothers/skira/default.asp?catId=57479&docId= |title=IDF Human Resources site |access-date=10 June 2010 |language=he |archive-date=18 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171018125909/http://www.aka.idf.il/brothers/skira/default.asp?catId=57479&docId= |url-status=dead }}</ref>

From among non-Bedouin Arab citizens, the number of volunteers for military service—some [[Arab Christians and Arabic-speaking Christians|Christian Arabs]] and even a few Muslim Arabs—is minute, and the government makes no special effort to increase it. Six Israeli Arabs have received orders of distinction as a result of their military service; of them the most famous is a Bedouin officer, Lieutenant Colonel Abd el-Majid Hidr (also known as [[Amos Yarkoni]]), who received the Order of Distinction. Vahid el Huzil was the first Bedouin to be a battalion commander.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nrg.co.il/online/1/ART2/271/121.html |title=History in Tzahal the first Bedouin to be Battalion Commander |publisher=Nrg.co.il |access-date=20 July 2013 |archive-date=20 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130920223124/http://www.nrg.co.il/online/1/ART2/271/121.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.walla.co.il/?w=/9/782336 |title=a Bedouin officer got the command on a battalion |work=News.walla.co.il |access-date=20 July 2013 |archive-date=29 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729073732/http://news.walla.co.il/?w=/9/782336 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Until the second term of [[Yitzhak Rabin]] as Prime Minister (1992–1995), social benefits given to families in which at least one member (including a grandfather, uncle, or cousin) had served at some time in the armed forces were significantly higher than to "non-military" families, which was considered a means of blatant discrimination between Jews and Arabs. Rabin led the abolition of the measure, in the teeth of strong opposition from the Right. At present, the only official advantage of military service is the attaining of security clearance and serving in some types of government positions (in most cases, security-related), as well as some indirect benefits.

Rather than perform army service, Israeli Arab youths have the option to volunteer to [[Sherut Leumi|national service]] and receive benefits similar to those received by discharged soldiers. The volunteers are generally allocated to Arab populations, where they assist with social and community matters. {{As of|2010}}, 1,473 Arabs were volunteering for national service. According to sources in the national service administration, Arab leaders are counselling youths to refrain from performing services to the state. According to a National Service official, "For years the Arab leadership has demanded, justifiably, benefits for Arab youths similar to those received by discharged soldiers. Now, when this opportunity is available, it is precisely these leaders who reject the state's call to come and do the service, and receive these benefits."<ref>[http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3974580,00.html Rise in Arab National Service volunteers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303172222/http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3974580,00.html |date=3 March 2016 }}, Aviel Magnezi. YNet, 25 October 2010.</ref>

Although Arabs are not obliged to serve in the IDF, any Arab can volunteer. In 2008, a Muslim Arab woman was serving as a medic with unit 669.<ref>{{Cite news|title=First female Arab soldier joins elite unit 669|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3527584,00.html|website=ynetnews.com|author=Yossi Yehoshua|date=4 April 2008|access-date=12 May 2017|archive-date=10 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010091257/http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3527584,00.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Cpl. [[Elinor Joseph]] from [[Haifa]] became the first female Arab combat soldier for IDF.<ref>Cpl. Elinor Joseph, first female Arab combat soldier in IDF: "proud to serve" ", {{Citation needed|date=April 2011}} "I treated all the people at the checkpoints in the same manner because we are all human. For this reason, no one negatively reacted to me, and to tell the truth, that surprised me." Elinor's presence also helped change people’s perceptions, "People knew I was there and that I wouldn't hold my tongue if need be, so they had a constant reminder to treat the Palestinians well. But really, their treatment was always full of respect."</ref>

Other Arab-Muslim officers who have served in the IDF are [[Second Lieutenant]] Hisham Abu Varia<ref name="ynetFirsftOff">{{cite news|last=Pevzner|first=Yana|title=The lone Arab Soldier|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3968706,00.html|access-date=27 October 2010|newspaper=Ynet|date=13 October 2010|archive-date=31 October 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101031011711/http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3968706,00.html?|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Major (rank)|Major]] Ala Wahib, the highest ranking Muslim officer in the IDF in 2013.<ref>{{cite news |title=An officer and a Muslim Zionist |author=Michal Yaakov Yitzhaki |url=http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=5727 |newspaper=[[Israel HaYom]] |date=7 September 2013 |access-date=20 June 2013 |archive-date=7 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210207153526/http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=5727 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In October 2012, the IDF promoted Mona Abdo to become the first female Christian Arab to the rank of combat commander. Abdo had voluntarily enlisted in the IDF, which her family had encouraged, and transferred from the [[Ordnance Corps (Israel)|Ordnance Corps]] to the [[Caracal Battalion]], a mixed-gender unit with both Jewish and Arab soldiers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.algemeiner.com/2012/10/18/israel-promotes-first-female-christian-arab-to-combat-commander/ |title=Israel Promotes First Female Christian Arab to Combat Commander |publisher=The Algemeiner |date=18 October 2012 |access-date=21 October 2012 |archive-date=22 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022221124/http://www.algemeiner.com/2012/10/18/israel-promotes-first-female-christian-arab-to-combat-commander/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2014, an increase in Israeli Christian Arabs joining the army was reported.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.573172 |title=Israeli army sees increase in Christian Arab recruits |work=Haaretz |date=9 February 2014 |access-date=11 February 2014 |archive-date=11 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140211021329/http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.573172 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Falasha makstyle.jpg|thumb|150px|An [[Beta Israel|Ethiopian-Jewish]] soldier]]
Muslim Arabs have also been drafted into the Israel Defense Forces in increasing numbers in recent years. In 2020, 606 Muslim Arabs were drafted, compared to 489 in 2019 and 436 in 2018. More than half of those who have drafted have gone into combat roles.<ref name="jpost1">{{cite web |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/exclusive-idf-sees-sharp-increase-in-muslim-draft-674227 |title=Exclusive: IDF sees sharp increase in Muslim draft |work=JPost |first=Tal |last=Lev |date=July 18, 2021 |access-date=July 18, 2021 |archive-date=18 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220618154602/https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/exclusive-idf-sees-sharp-increase-in-muslim-draft-674227 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="greenger1">{{cite web |url=https://www.jpost.com/blogs/think-with-me/with-yahya-mahamid-an-arab-zionist-is-no-misnomer-517608 |title=With Yahya Mahamid, an Arab-Zionist is No Misnomer |work=JPost |first=Nuri |last=Greenger |date=December 10, 2017 |access-date=December 10, 2017 |archive-date=20 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220620123736/https://www.jpost.com/blogs/think-with-me/with-yahya-mahamid-an-arab-zionist-is-no-misnomer-517608 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="motchan1">{{cite web |url=https://stljewishlight.org/top-story/how-a-muslim-zionist-became-an-idf-officer-and-voice-of-peace/ |title=How a "Muslim Zionist" became an IDF officer and a voice of peace |work=Jewish Light |first=Bill |last=Mitchan |date=June 7, 2022 |access-date=June 20, 2022 |archive-date=8 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220608235441/https://stljewishlight.org/top-story/how-a-muslim-zionist-became-an-idf-officer-and-voice-of-peace/ |url-status=live }}</ref>