In a radio interview, former general Yiftah Ron-Tal claims a recent proposal to integrate women into tank brigades is part of a conspiracy by far-left organizations to harm the Israel Defense Forces.
“I think there are [far-left] groups with special interests behind this that are using this process, which is supposedly a democratic and important process to produce more fighters for the IDF, in order to weaken our army. It’s terrible. I know it’s terrible what I’m saying,” Ron-Tal, currently the director of the Israel Electric Corporation, says. “The people leading this, sorry for the phrasing, are freaks.”
Israel Electric Corporation’s Yiftah Ron-Tal. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)
Kulanu party MK Rachel Azaria, a proponent of better gender integration in the army, says she considers the allegation bizarre.
“I don’t even know how to answer that,” she tells The Times of Israel in a phone interview.
Azaria brushes off Ron-Tal’s “unfounded” assertion and insists she advocates allowing more women to serve in fighting units out of Zionism and practicality.
“The army needs good soldiers and soldiers who want to serve. Right now that’s women,” she says, citing female troopers’ documented high motivation levels.
— Judah Ari Gross
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From the Liveblog of
Sunday, November 20, 2016
