Still think Israel is a
racist, apartheid state? You wouldn’t know it to listen to these young Muslim
and Christian Arab girls, who are joining the Israeli army in ever greater
numbers.
Young Muslim girls are joining the fight, on Israel’s side!
These courageous young women have a unique and important story to tell, and
together with a growing number of Christian Arab girls, they are breaking new
ground joining ranks with the Israeli army.
When Private ‘A’, one of the Muslim girls now serving in the IDF
decided to enlist, her parents refused to support her. She had to leave home
and received support from the army as a lone soldier.
“I need to support myself,” she says, “and it’s really
difficult, even with the help I get from the army. It is rare for a Muslim girl
to join the army, because our families will not accept it. Even so, I would
still recommend others to enlist. It is a great, life-changing experience.”
Private ‘G’, a devout Muslim, grew up in a Jewish
neighborhood. She decided to enlist after she saw all of her neighbors
going to serve. “The army is an important part of everyone’s life in my
neighborhood,” she explained. “I wanted to serve just like everyone else. I
want to give something back to Israel, my country.”
She added that her mother has been very supportive and sends her
regular letters for moral support. “Mom said that she would have enlisted also
if it had been possible when she was my age.”
According to Private ‘G’, recent tensions in Israel caused by
young Muslims running through the streets attacking Israeli soldiers with
knives does not influence her commitment to serve in the army. “I am so angry, just like the other soldiers, with these
attacks. I am angry that anyone would try to harm these soldiers who are
supporting me,” she said.
Private ‘S’ also grew up in a Jewish neighborhood. “My whole
life I went to school with Jewish girls, so I wanted to finish high school, and
enlist in the army, just like my friends,” she noted.
“I have never been ashamed of my [Muslim] faith, not even in the
army. I wanted to enlist because it is my duty to serve and protect my
country,” she added. “I want to serve in a way that makes a significant
contribution.”
According to Private ‘S’, the army allows her to practice her
religious traditions during her army service. “They allow me to go home during
the Muslim Ramadan fast, once a week to be with my family,” she explained.
“Some may think it is strange, but at home we actually celebrate some of the
Jewish holidays like Purim.”
Corporal ‘M’ is a Christian Arab serving in a sensitive
operational unit. “One day I saw a group of girl soldiers walking by carrying
machine guns. I asked them about their army service, and it sounded really
interesting. I didn’t even know where one would go to sign up, so they told me
what I needed to do to enlist,” she recounted.
“After I enlisted,” continued the corporal, “I was walking
around the [Arab] neighborhood where I live in uniform. When people saw me they
deleted me from their Facebook and erased my number from their telephone. It
was very hard, but a few friends still supported me, and I have made a lot of
new friends in the army,” she shared.
All the young Muslim and Christian soldiers say that other girls
are asking them about enlisting too. “I tell them that I feel like I am doing
something important for my country,” said Corporal ‘M’. “And when I explain to
the Jewish soldiers why I decided to enlist, they all show real respect for the
decision that I made.”
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