Railway leading to the death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau

The Israeli state was founded to function as a home for the Jewish people. After the Holocaust, the need for a Jewish state grew bigger, and Israel was founded. The IDF — Israeli Defense Forces — is the Israeli army, and its purpose is to protect and defend Israel and its citizens. It serves as a functioning military which will thwart any attempt to harm Israeli civilians. In addition, the IDF draws inspiration from many significant events of the Jewish and Israeli history, among which are all those who fought against the Nazi regime and its inhumane cruelty.

IDF Chief of the General staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz visits Holocaust survivors

Many activities are being carried out throughout the year to commemorate the memory of the Holocaust, from weekly volunteer work with survivors to Witnesses in Uniform, a special program in which IDF officers and soldiers go on educational trips to Poland to learn more about their history and about the Holocaust. Furthermore, any foreign general on an official visit to Israel must pay a visit to Israel’s Yad Vashem, the world center for documentation, research, education and commemoration of the Holocaust.

During September 2003, three fighter jets flew above Auschwitz — only this time they were IAF jets, symbolising the revival of the Jewish people and saying out loud to the whole world: “Never again“.

“The message that we bear with us”, says Col. (Res.) Avi Maor, one of the six pilots and navigators that took part in the flight, “is that we and the State of Israel are alive and strong enough to ensure that something like this will never happen again. An entire generation is gone, for many of them there was not even someone left to say ‘Kadish’. This is the debt that we owe them, the six million who perished there”.

First Operational Parachuting Drill in 15 Years

On Wednesday, January 18th, nearly a thousand paratroopers gathered to participate in the first exercise to occur on a brigade-wide scale in the last 15 years. The exercise included parachuting from flying planes in combat situations and tested the soldiers’ readiness in extreme conditions. It was supervised by the Paratroopers Brigade Commander, Colonel Amir Bar’am, and in the presence of Major-General Gershon Hacohen.  Once on land and still carrying 60 kilograms, the soldiers began a march and a live-fire drill in open terrain.

IDF Paratroopers Get Ready for Operational Parachuting

The Paratroopers Brigade Commander, Col. Amir Bar’am, explained the importance of the drill: “The ability to parachute an entire brigade into battle is an extrodinary capability, and one which needs to be a part of the IDF’s aresnal.”

Desert Reconnaissance Battalion soldier at special training

Years of living in sparsely populated desert areas and spending lots of time outdoors taught the soldiers of the Desert Reconnaissance Battalion how to be an Israeli Sherlock Holmes. They can spot a single footprint in the sand and learn volumes from it – who, what, where and whether it’s a security threat or not. In Hebrew they’re unofficially called ‘gashashim’, – ‘trackers’, or literally, ‘feelers’.

Desert Reconnaissance Battalion soldier takes position

The battalion was founded in 1987 especially to accommodate the needs of the Bedouin soldier in order to encourage more Bedouins to join the IDF. Most of the commanders are Bedouins, in the interest of helping the soldiers, most of who come from families not familiar with the army, get used to their military surroundings. Bedouins are not obligated to serve in the IDF – all the soldiers of the Desert Reconnaissance Battalion volunteered for service. They risk their lives daily while guarding around the Gaza Strip, often patrolling areas adjacent to their home towns.

Desert Reconnaissance Battalion soldier in action

In its 25 years of existence, the battalion was granted two medals for its outstanding performance during operational activities, and suffered a major loss when five of its members were killed in a terror activity near Rafah in 2004.

Nowadays, UAVs are controlled from a remote location (even thousands of kilometers away), while others fly autonomously based on pre-programmed flight plans. They are optimal for surveillance and reconnaissance but have other purposes as well, like transport, search and rescue and even commercial uses such as firefighting.

The drone featured in the video is the Skylark I-LE, specially modified by the IDF and chosen for its lightness and extraordinary stealth. Click to read more about the Skylark I-LE.

During their investigation, both admitted their responsibility for the shooting as well as involvement in other terror activity in the area of Azzun, involving other militants from the village, who were also arrested and taken for questioning.

In the past few weeks, 17 residents of Azzun were arrested on suspicion of involvement in terror activity. During the investigation, the rifle used to carry out the attack was uncovered, among a pipe bomb and three additional rifles.

The suspects confessed executing additional shooting attacks in the beginning of December 2011, including shooting at security forces. They were also involved in a number of rock and fire bomb hurling incidents, directed at both Israeli civilian and IDF vehicles on the main road near Azzun.

Indictments against four of those detained were handed down to the military court in Samaria, charging them with: attempt of causing death with intent, throwing of an explosive device and throwing objects at a moving vehicle. Some of the men were also charged with trading in military equipment.

The IDF and ISA are constantly operating to reduce the phenomenon of shooting incidents and rock and fire bomb hurling incidents at Israeli vehicles and IDF soldiers around the village of Azzun, and will continue to thwart such attempts.

Direct hits were confirmed.

The targeting of these sites was in response to the rockets fired at Israel during the past few days.

The IDF will not tolerate any attempt to harm Israeli civilians, and will operate against anyone who uses terror against the State of Israel. The Hamas terror organization is solely responsible for any terrorist activity emanating from the Gaza Strip.

Archive: IAF Targeting Terror Facilities (Photo: IDF Website)

The unit was created in 1974 as a response to the events of the Yom-Kippur War, when Syrian forces captured Mt. Hermon, Israel’s northernmost outpost. Since then it has remained one of the most elite and classified units of the IDF. It is comprised entirely of volunteer reserve soldiers who served in elite units such as Egoz and Sayeret Golani.

Alpine Unit exercise on Mt Hermon

Besides their normal training of shooting while riding at high speeds on skis, snowmobiles or Sno-Cats, soldiers of the Alpine Unit also function as a mountain rescue force on Mount Hermon. The unit’s special expertise has been so valuable, both in contributing to Israel’s defense as well as saving lives, that in 2005 its commander, Lt. Col. Shimon Pariente, was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Commander of the Ground Forces for his work. The unit’s soldiers are also known as enthusiastic volunteers, and invite children diagnosed with cancer for a fun day at the Hermon 40-45 times a year.

Can you spot them?

The Israeli winter is usually pretty lightweight – the Hermon is snow-capped only during certain parts of the year. Yesterday, following a particularly heavy day of snow, the Alpine Unit soldiers opened up and allowed themselves to be documented in action. For more pictures, check out our Flickr.

Archive: IAF Targeting Terror Facilities (Photo: IDF Website)

Since the beginning of the year over 7 rockets, fired from Gaza, have hit Israel.

The IDF will not tolerate any attempt to harm Israeli civilians, and will operate against anyone who uses terror against the State of Israel. The Hamas terror organization is solely responsible for any terrorist activity emanating from the Gaza Strip.

Rocket Ranges from the Gaza Strip

General Martin E. Dempsey Visits Israel

During his visit, General Dempsey will hold a private meeting with Lieutenant General Gantz, as well as a briefing with senior commanders of the General Staff, focusing on cooperation between the two militaries, as well as mutual security challenges. During his visit, General Dempsey will also meet with the Minister of Defense, Mr. Ehud Barak, with the Prime Minister, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, and with the President, Mr. Shimon Peres.

General Martin E. Dempsey Visits Israel

General Dempsey will be greeted at the IDF General Headquarters in Camp Rabin (Kirya), by an IDF honor guard of soldiers from the ground, air and naval forces, and to the sounds of the national anthems of Israel and the United States of America. General Dempsey will also visit the Yad VaShem Holocaust Memorial Museum, where he will pay respect to the memory of Holocaust victims.

General Dempsey will be accompanied by his spouse, Mrs. Deanie Dempsey, who will be hosted by Mrs. Revital Gantz.