Following a petition to the High Court of Justice filed by a fighter in the southern branch of the Border Police’s undercover unit (Yamas), the Israel Police has conceded that there is no reason to bar women from joining the Judea and Samaria Special Operations Unit.
Until now, women could join other undercover units in the organization, but under the revised position, female recruits would be allowed to join if they meet the relevant criteria for other applicants and more than one woman qualifies, “in view of the characteristics of service in these units, including a prolonged stay in hostile territory.”
T. has been serving for several years as a fighter in the Border Police’s undercover unit in the south—the Sinai Special Operations Unit. She also passed all the required screenings for the role. At one point, T. asked to move to the undercover unit in Judea and Samaria. However, she was allegedly told that the unit was closed to women even if they had the necessary skillset.
Through her attorneys, the fighter filed a petition to the High Court, saying, “The petitioner was informed that the Border Police commander wants women to serve in the Judea and Samaria undercover unit, but at this stage recruitment to the unit is not allowed due to the opposition of a small part of the fighters to the addition of women.”
In the meantime, T. moved to a combat position in the Ramah Battalion operating in the Ramallah area of Samaria. Other than her claim that she was refused transfer to the Judea and Samaria undercover unit for gender reasons, the petition does not provide evidence for this.
In its response, the police did not address this testimony but provided other considerations for not transferring her.
Originally published by Israel Hayom.
