Women headed for IDF’s prestigious Sayeret Matkal?

Beginning at the end of the year, female IDF recruits will have the option to undergo tests that would enable them to serve in combat roles in the prestigious Sayeret Matkal commando unit, the IDF said on Tuesday.

The army was responding to a query from the High Court of Justice in response to a petition asking why all units were not open to women.

Inclusion of women in IDF strategy

The IDF’s response was that it would begin opening up the Sayeret Matkal and two other units previously closed off to women in a special pilot program. The program will begin based on whether there are enough female recruits who meet the rigorous criteria.

Based on an ongoing pilot program that enabled women to serve in the search and rescue Unit 669 and the Yahalom combat engineering unit, the IDF told the court that it thinks there will be enough female recruits for the new program.