200% Increase In Bedouin Enlistment

IDF Spokesperson 19 January 2010 , 13:18
http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/News/today/10/01/1903.htm

There has been a 200% increase in the number of Bedouins enlisting in the
IDF within the last two years – so said the Chief of the General Staff, Lt.
Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, on Monday (Jan. 18) at his meeting with the chairman of
the Mayors of Bedouin Councils in the North, Mr. Hassan El Haib.

Nine Bedouin soldiers who were part of the recent Golani Brigade draft, are
the latest proof of the ongoing and growing involvement of the Bedouin
community in the IDF. The soldiers are deployed in all IDF units, including
the various Infantry Corps units and especially tracker and reconnaissance
units, and pay a significant and important contribution. A large percentage
of Bedouin soldiers serve in the Desert Reconnaissance Battalion which is
stationed in the Israel-Egypt-Gaza area. The IDF also recently began
organizing employment fairs for discharged Bedouin soldiers in order to
better integrate them into Israeli society after their military service.

The significant increase of Bedouin enlistment in the IDF was brought about
by the joint effort of Bedouin leaders, the Human Resources Directorate and
the General Staff. Other factors leading to the larger drafts are economic
reasons and the general atmosphere among most of the Bedouin population, who
believes that the way to integrate into Israeli society is through military
service.

Mr. El Haib thanked the Chief of the General Staff for the efforts made by
the IDF for the promotion and welfare of Bedouin soldiers, and asked the IDF
for help in facing various government institutions in the search of
employment and accommodation for discharged Bedouin soldiers.