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The Defense Ministry and the IDF (Israeli army)


Tsahal Israelian Defense

The Ministry of Defense is the political branch for state security in Israel and the Israeli army (the IDF or Israeli Defence Force) is its military wing.

The two branches work in close cooperation in order to tackle the various dangers in the best possible way.

The division of power between the two is quite clear. The Ministry of Defense is responsible for the economic aspect of security: commercial, financial management, payments, industry and infrastructure policy, as well as logistics. The IDF is responsible for all operational and technical requirements as well as allocation of budgets.

The IDF, or the Israeli army, is responsible for the security of all its citizens and the borders, all in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense. Every Israeli citizen over the age of 18 has the obligation to enlist in military service for a certain period. The army is compulsory for boys and girls. Nowadays there is full equality in the ranks and roles for both sexes within the IDF.

There are three types of military service: compulsory military service, career service, where a soldier continues to serve in the army and the reserves, where soldiers are called up for active duty for one month every year for security activities or training. There is also compulsory service within The Border Police, which is not part of the IDF.