This is the Forward’s coverage of the Israel Defense Forces, the combined military forces of Israel.
IDF
The Latest
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Fast Forward IDF Stung by Billion Dollar Budget Cuts, But Bonus Looms on Horizon
It’s best to take with a grain of salt the complaints that will be voiced in the near future by the General Staff about the implications of the cuts included in the state budget passed this week. True, in the years ahead, the Israel Defense Forces will be required to dismiss 4,000 career soldiers (while…
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Life Happy Mother’s Day To My Israeli Mom
Dear Mom, I will never forget the day I joined the Israel Defense Forces. It was five years ago, and I remember 18-year-old me, kissing you and Dad goodbye and boarding the bus that would take me to a month-long boot camp. You hugged me close and shed a tear, and I remember thinking you…
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Fast Forward Israel To Stop Using White Phosphorous in Battle
Israel said on Friday it was phasing out white phosphorus smokescreen munitions whose use during its 2008-2009 offensive in the heavily populated Gaza Strip drew war crimes allegations. Announcing the plan, the Israeli military did not say whether it would also review its use of weaponised white phosphorus, which is designed to incinerate enemy positions….
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Opinion Yesh Atid’s Ofer Shelah on War, Grief and Promise
It’s been a while since I’ve had the weekly privilege of translating and editing Ofer Shelah. Some years back he was the Forward’s Israeli commentator as well as a military and sports correspondent for Maariv. Now he’s Yesh Atid’s Knesset faction chairman. Today, marking Soldiers’ Memorial Day in Israel, he posted these thoughts on his…
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Israel News 92Y Scraps Appearance by Roger Waters, Anti-Israel Pink Floyd Frontman
A Manhattan cultural center has canceled an event with rock star — and outspoken Israel critic — Roger Waters. Waters was due to speak about his 45-year career as a solo musician and a key member of the British rock group Pink Floyd at 92Y on April 30. But “An Evening with Roger Waters” —…
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Fast Forward 25 Illegal Jewish Settlements in Occupied West Bank Get Israel Army Protection
One quarter of all illegal West Bank outposts are regularly guarded by Israel Defense Forces soldiers. These 25 unauthorized outposts are guarded by a special force tasked with “community protection.” Soldiers from the force typically spend a full week at a time guarding and protecting the outpost where they are stationed. Every professional army officer…
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News Leader of Friends of IDF Scores $546K Package of Salary and Benefits
Last week, at the glamorous Waldorf-Astoria hotel in Manhattan, the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces held its annual gala dinner. The FIDF’s national director, Maj. Gen. (res.) Yitzhak (Jerry) Gershon smiled beside wounded soldiers flown in from Israel to encourage guests to open their wallets. Gershon should be pleased: according to various reports, about…
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The Schmooze Bar Refaeli Ad Airs Despite Army Objection
When it comes to tourism, Israel has a lot of things going for it. The weather is almost always perfect, the food is delicious, and the people are good looking. Really, really good looking. So when the Israeli Defense Force objected to an ad featuring Israel’s most beautiful of “beautiful people” — Bar Refaeli —…
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