The development of the self-defense force of the yishuv was an influential part of the history of Jewish settlement in Erez Israel. The establishment of Ha-Shomer in 1909 enabled Jews to take over the guard duty of all the Jewish settlements in Lower Galilee, as well as of several of the larger settlements in Samaria and Judea. The image of the Jewish fighter was thus created.

In 1920, to ensure the security of the yishuv in the wake of Arab riots with an autonomous force independent of any foreign power, the Haganah ("Defense") organization was created. In the period from 1931 to 1936, it became a large organization encompassing nearly all the youth and adults in the settlements as well as several thousand members from each of the cities. During the riots that broke out in April 1936 and the three years of the Arab revolt that followed, the Haganah played a central role in the life of the yishuv.

On Patrol

In the spring of 1947, David Ben-Gurion assumed the task of preparing the Haganah for the possible showdown with the armed forces of Arabs in Palestine and those of the Arab states and in the spring of 1948, the Haganah went over from defensive to offensive warfare, occupying areas essential for the yishuv's security. "Operation Nahshon" opened the road to besieged Jerusalem, while other operations captured Tiberias, Haifa, Safed, Jaffa, and other areas.

On May 26, the Provisional Government of Israel decided to transform the Haganah into the regular army of the State, to be called "Zeva Haganah le-Israel" ("Israel Defense Forces" or IDF).

From its inception, Israel established a system of compulsory military service that requires both men and women of certain ages and status to report for varying periods. On conclusion of his conscript service, every soldier is assigned to a reserve unit and is periodically called up for reserve duty in accordance with terms stipulated by law.

Ceremony of Swearing in members of Gadna at the Western Wall in Jerusalem

The IDF is an integrated organization controlling the land, sea, and air forces. Operationally, the armed forces are divided into three regional ground commands, Northern, Central, and Southern, in addition to the air force and the navy. The commanders of the air force and the navy are at the same time senior advisers to the chief of staff in their respective functions. The chief of staff heads the General Staff, which functions in the general headquarters of the IDF.

The General Staff is divided into four branches. The General Staff Branch, headed by a major general, who is the senior of the chiefs of branch, is responsible for coordination with the General Staff and for the operational control of the armed forces, including training, planning, operations, and research and development. The Intelligence Branch, headed by a brigadier or major general, is responsible for the collection, collation, and dissemination of all military, political, and economic information that might be of interest to the General Staff for the purpose of planning and operations. It is also responsible for security within the armed forces, censorship, the official army spokesman, liaison with foreign attachMs, and the appointment of Israel military attachMs abroad. The Manpower Branch, headed by a brigadier or major general, is responsible for the mobilization of the manpower required by the IDF, for the assignment of men to units, for planning and control of manpower, education, personal services, discipline, information, religious and medical services, etc. The Quartermaster General Branch, headed by a brigadier or major general, is responsible for the organization of the supply of equipment, arms, food, clothing, housing, etc., for the maintenance of emergency stores, and for the readiness of all administrative emergency organizations falling within its area of responsibility.

Soldiers on Parade

In addition to the regional commands and the air force and navy, the commanders of which hold the rank of major general and control all the forces within their particular command, there are a number of specific commands, such as Nahal, which combines military and agricultural training and also engages in the establishment of new settlements along the borders, and Hen, which is the women's corps. Members of the minorities may, under certain circumstances, volunteer for service in the IDF and in the Border Police. The Border Police Force is completely integrated between Jews and Druze, and many Druze have attained officer rank. The Druze community is now liable for conscription into the IDF in the same manner as members of the Jewish community.

Ever since the early years of the state, Israel made efforts to develop her own arms industry and in the course of years a major industry, capable of supplying most of the small arms and ammunition requirements of the IDF, as well as other types, was established. Parallel to this, Israel Aircraft Industries was established with a large electronic manufacturing component capable of assembling jet trainers and maintaining all the types of aircraft in service in the Israel Air Force. The Israel arms industry has become a major exporter.

During the Israel War of Independence (1948), the IDF defeated the Egyptian army in the Negev desert and in Sinai, the Arab armies in Galilee, and defended West Jerusalem. In the Sinai Campaign of 1956, the IDF defeated the Egyptian army in the Sinai desert and cleared the whole of the Sinai peninsula. In the Six-Day War of June 1967 the IDF destroyed the enemy air forces, defeated the Egyptian, Jordanian, and Syrian armies, and occupied the whole of the Sinai peninsula, the Gaza Strip, Judea and Samaria on the West Bank of the Jordan, and the Syrian mountains known as the Golan Heights in less than a week. In the Yom Kippur War in October 1973, the IDF warded off surprise attacks by Syrian and Egyptian forces and secured a foothold on the east bank of the Suez Canal but was unable to dislodge the Egyptians from their positions on the west bank of the Canal. In the early 1980s the IDF was involved in a protracted war in Lebanon against terrorist forces and later in the decade was occupied in riot police duties during the years of the Palestinian Intifada.