IDF sees 7-year high in motivation to serve in combat units

Figures “testify to the recruits’ willingness and sense of mission,” says IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi.

By TPS

Israeli youth who were recruited into the IDF this past summer displayed a high motivation to serve in combat units, the highest in the past seven years, Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi stated.

Speaking at the exchange ceremony for the General Officer Commanding (GOC) Army on Tuesday, Kohavi said that “maneuverability has improved and motivation for service in combat units has improved, and in the last two years there has been a steady increase in the desire to serve in combat units.”

“This increase was particularly pronounced in the desire for combat service last August – and these are the highest figures in the last seven years,” he said.

These figures “testify to the recruits’ willingness and sense of mission and are an expression of the work of the commanders and the Manpower Directorate who are working on the issue.”

In August, 340 new immigrants joined the IDF, of whom 198 were men and 142 were women.

Many recruits immigrated from countries from which only one immigrant enlisted, including the Netherlands, Ecuador, Eritrea, Ghana, the Dominican Republic, Greece, New Zealand, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Chile, Cuba, Costa Rica, New Caledonia and Sweden.

The countries from which the most immigrants were recruited are Ethiopia, the United States, Russia, Ukraine and France.