Government tells court that IDF plans for further female tank crew trial makes petitions ‘irrelevant’

The government calls for the High Court of Justice to dismiss two petitions calling for women to be allowed to serve in the IDF Armored Corps, arguing that the military’s plans to hold an additional trial program to test the viability of all-female tank crews later this year make the requests irrelevant.

Last year, two separate groups of women filed appeals to the court asking that it force the Israel Defense Forces to allow them to serve in the Armored Corps. One petition was filed by two teenagers who asked to be allowed to serve in a tank unit when they join the military, and the second appeal was filed by female soldiers who took part in the IDF’s initial pilot program in 2017-2018, asking to be allowed to serve in a tank unit as part of their reserve duty, having received the necessary training.

Government attorneys respond to these petitions with a 22-page letter, arguing that the court does not need to intervene in the matter as the military is already addressing it.

Earlier this month, the IDF announced it would hold a follow-up trial to its initial pilot program in which it would allow a group of female soldiers to both complete the training necessary to serve in a tank and deploy operationally along Israel’s southern borders. This new trial will begin later this year, with the participants coming from the summer or fall drafts.

In its response, the government says this makes the petitions “no longer relevant.”

The state attorneys also says the teenage petitioners, who are scheduled to enlist in the military in March 2020, are allowed to postpone their draft date until the summer or fall in order to take part in the new trial.

Regarding the soldiers who completed the earlier pilot, the government says they will be able to perform their reserve service in the upcoming program.

— Judah Ari Gross