Israel Defense Forces

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) (Hebrew: ??? ????? ?????? {{Audio|He-Israeli Defense Forces.ogg|Ts'va Ha-Ha'ganah Le-Yisrael}} (" Force for the Defense of Israel"), often abbreviated ??"? Tsahal, alternative English spelling Tzahal, is the name of Israel's armed forces, comprising the Israel army, Israel air force and Israel navy. It was formed following the founding of Israel in 1948 to "defend the existence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the state of Israel" and "to protect the inhabitants of Israel and to combat all forms of terrorism which threaten the daily life." The predecessors to the IDF were the Haganah (in particular, its operational branch, the Palmach) and former elements of the Jewish Brigade that fought under the British flag during World War II. See also Jewish legion.

Military structure

The following is a very partial list that does not refer to any reserve forces.

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High command (General Staff)

The IDF falls under the command of a single general staff. The Chief of the General Staff (Hebrew acronym: רמטכ"ל, pronounced: Ramatkal) has the rank of (Lieutenant) General (in Hebrew: רב אלוף, pronounced: "Rav Aluf") and is the high commander of the IDF. He reports directly to the Defense minister and indirectly to the Prime Minister of Israel and its government. Chiefs of Staff are formally appointed by the government, based on the Defense Minister's recommendation, for three years, but the government can vote to extend their service to four (and in rare occasions even five) years.

Related Topics:
Acronym - Defense minister - Prime Minister of Israel

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The current chief of staff is (Lieutenant) General (Rav-Aluf) Dan Halutz, who replaced Moshe Ya'alon, on June 1st, 2005.

Related Topics:
General - Dan Halutz - Moshe Ya'alon

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(Also see a note about ranks below)

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• Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz — Chief of the General Staff
• Maj. Gen. Moshe Kaplinsky — Deputy Chief of the General Staff
• Maj. Gen. Yiftah Ron-Tal — GOC Army Headquarters
• Maj. Gen. Udi Adam — Head of Technological and Logistics Directorate
• Maj. Gen. Aharon Ze'evi-Farkash — Director of Military Intelligence
• Maj. Gen. Elazar Stern — Head of Personnel Directorate
• Maj. Gen. Yisrael Ziv — Head of Operations Directorate
• Maj. Gen. Itzhak Harel — Head of Plans and Policy Directorate
• Maj. Gen. Elyezer Shkedy — Commander of the Israeli Air Force
• Maj. Gen. David Ben Ba'ashat — Commander of the Israeli Navy
• Maj. Gen. Yair Naveh — GOC Central Command
• Maj. Gen. Benny Gantz — GOC Northern Command
• Maj. Gen. Dan Harel — GOC Southern Command
• Maj. Gen. Yitzhak Garshon — GOC Home Front Command
• Maj. Gen. Eyal Ben Reuven — Commander of the Military Colleges and Senior Field Commander
• Maj. Gen. Yosef Mishlav — Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories
• Maj. Gen. Yishai Bar — President of the Military Court of Appeals
• Maj. Gen. Udi Shani — Head of C4I and Senior Field Commander
• Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amos Yaron — Director General of the Ministry of Defense
• Maj. Gen. Yoav Gallant — Military Secretary of the Prime Minister
• Brig. Gen. Miri Regev — IDF Spokesperson
• Brig. Gen. Moshe Lipel — Financial Advisor to the Chief of Staff
• Maj. Gen. (Res.) Shmuel Keren — Director of Development of Weapons Systems Infrastructure
• Maj. Gen. (Res.) Yossi Beinhorn — Defense Establishment Comptroller
• Maj. Gen. Avichi Mendelblit — Military Advocate General

As of 10 June 2005, the above list is no longer up to date, though all the positions remain officially in effect for the next several months.

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Ground forces

• Infantry ( חיל רגלים ):
• Givati Brigade ( גבעתי )
• Golani Brigade ( גולני )
• ( נח"ל )
• Paratroopers Brigade ( צנחנים )
• Several dozens Special Forces and Counter-terrorism elite units (Sayeret)
• About 5 additional mixed unit battalions (Haruv, Shimshon, Nahshon, Lavi, Duhifat).
• Armor ( שריון ):
• Barak Armored Brigade (aka. 188th Brigade)
• Ga'ash Brigade (Hativa Sheva in Hebrew, aka. 7th Brigade)
• Ikvot Habarzel Brigade (aka. 401st Brigade)
• Artillery ( תותחנים ):
• consisting of three brigades.
• Combat Engineering ( הנדסה קרבית ):
• Israeli Engineering Corps
• consisting of a regular brigade and additional smaller units.
• Engineering company פלחה"ן in each infantry brigade.

Air force

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) ( ) consists of:

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• Warplanes
• Helicopter gunships
• Cargo planes
• Nun Mem (Neged Metosim) - Anti-aircraft brigades

Navy

The Israel Navy ( ) consists of:

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• Patrol boats
• Missile ships flotilla
• Submarines flotilla
• Naval Intelligence
• Radar units
• Shayetet 13 - naval commando
• Undersea missions unit
• Harbour security unit

Military intelligence

Directorate of Military Intelligence (אגף מודיעין)

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Support

• C4I Directorate
• C4I (formerly Signal) Corps
• Technological and Logistics Directorate
• Logistics (Quartermaster) Corps
• Ordnance Corps
• Medical Corps
• Manpower Directorate
• Adjutant Corps
• Military Police (MP)
• Military Rabbinate
• Military Courts Military Attorney
• Military Schools Military Academy

Regional commands

• The Northern Command פיקוד הצפון
• The Central Command פיקוד המרכז
• The Southern Command פיקוד הדרום
• Home Front Command פיקוד העורף
• : The Home Front Command, Pikud Ha'Oref was created to replace HAGAH after the 1991 Gulf War. It main role is to provide defence to civilians during wartime and mass-disasters.
• Search and Rescue
• Distribution of NBC protection kits to civilians.

Related organisations

• Youth and Nahal Center
• Nahal
• Border Police (MAGAV) (a combat unit of the police, deployed mostly along the borders and in the West Bank; includes also a few special forces).
• Shin Bet (SHABAK - Sherut Bitahon Klali)
• : Israeli internal security service. Work tightly with the IDF to counter Palestinian terrorism.
• Sar-El short time service program for oversea volunteers

See also: Israel Security Forces.

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