IDF Court-Martial Sentences Religious Soldiers to Prison for Refusing Joint Drill with Female Medic
Seven soldiers from the Givati Brigade’s Rotem Battalion were sentenced to military prison after refusing to board an armored personnel carrier with a female paramedic during a drill. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday, led to the cancellation of the operational activity. The court-martial, held on Sunday, resulted in 10-day sentences for four primary refusers and 5-day sentences for three others who aided them. This disciplinary action follows a June announcement by hesder yeshivas to halt enlistment due to a new pilot program for female soldiers in the Armored Corps. The IDF maintains that while religious soldiers are entitled to gender-segregated frameworks, they must still carry out operational duties, and the refusal constituted a breach of command orders.