About 50 Israeli women served inside Gaza, the highest number yet during an Israeli conflict. But their prominence has renewed debate about the position of women in the nation’s army, with critics saying the percentage of combat roles filled by women — about 3.3 — is too low for a military that prides itself on being one of the world’s only with mandatory service for men and women. Those like Dan, some contend, are token symbols in a male-dominated institution that is increasingly influenced by religious soldiers who do not believe in gender equality. “What is important to look at is the positions that are still closed to women,” said Elana Sztokman, an author and women’s activist. “It is all the elite units, the really important ones that boost your status in Israeli society and open the doors for you after you finish army service,” she said, noting that most of the country’s top political and military leaders served in those elite units.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Sep 2014 00:23:16 +0000