![DruzeSoldier](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/DruzeSoldier.jpg)
The Sword Battalion ( he, גדוד חרב, translit=Gdud Herev; ar, كتيبة السيف), formerly Unit 300 and also known as the IDF Minorities Unit, was an
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
-speaking
battalion
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...
of the
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...
.
History
Unit 300 was formed in the early summer of 1948 by incorporating
Druze
The Druze (; ar, دَرْزِيٌّ, ' or ', , ') are an Arabic-speaking esoteric ethnoreligious group from Western Asia who adhere to the Druze faith, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, syncretic, and ethnic religion based on the teachings of ...
defectors from the
Arab Liberation Army
The Arab Liberation Army (ALA; ar, جيش الإنقاذ العربي ''Jaysh al-Inqadh al-Arabi''), also translated as Arab Salvation Army, was an army of volunteers from Arab countries led by Fawzi al-Qawuqji. It fought on the Arab side in th ...
and small numbers of
Bedouins
The Bedouin, Beduin, or Bedu (; , singular ) are nomadic Arabs, Arab tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant, and Mesopotamia. The Bedouin originated in the Syrian Desert ...
and
Circassians
The Circassians (also referred to as Cherkess or Adyghe; Adyghe and Kabardian: Адыгэхэр, romanized: ''Adıgəxər'') are an indigenous Northwest Caucasian ethnic group and nation native to the historical country-region of Circassia in ...
.
The battalion was attached to the
Oded Brigade
The Oded Brigade ( he, חטיבת עודד), is a unit in the Israel Defense Forces, also known as the 9th Brigade. It is part of the Bashan division in the IDF Northern Command, responsible for the front with Syria. In the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, ...
and took part in
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
's
Operation Hiram
Operation Hiram was a military operation conducted by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. It was led by General Moshe Carmel, and aimed at capturing the Upper Galilee region from the Arab Liberation Army (ALA) forces ...
in October 1948; it fought in every major Arab–Israeli war since. While ethnic Druze comprised the majority of the its members, there were also recruits drawn from the
Bedouin
The Bedouin, Beduin, or Bedu (; , singular ) are nomadic Arab tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant, and Mesopotamia. The Bedouin originated in the Syrian Desert and A ...
,
Circassian,
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
and
Arab Muslim
Arab Muslims ( ar, العرب المسلمون) are adherents of Islam who Identity (social science), identify Natural language, linguistically, Culture, culturally, and Genealogy, genealogically as Arabs. Arab Muslims greatly outnumber other Ethn ...
communities. The battalion produced several generals for the
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...
(IDF).
The Sword Battalion had a small elite
Sayeret
Special forces units in the Israel Defense Forces encompass a broad definition of specialist units. Such units are usually a regiment or a battalion in strength.
Sayeret ( he, סיירת, Plural, pl.: ''sayarot''), or ''reconnaissance'' Militar ...
wing.
The Druze and Circassian communities are the only ethnic groups in Israel who are
subject to mandatory conscription alongside the
Jewish majority; however, unlike the conscription system in place for Israeli Jews, which draws both males and females, only males are drafted from the Druze and Circassian minority communities.
The conscription of Druze Israelis began shortly after the passing of the State Defense Act of 1949, which called for mandatory military service by all individuals in the country; non-Jews were exempted from this act by the
Israeli government
The Cabinet of Israel (officially: he, ממשלת ישראל ''Memshelet Yisrael'') exercises executive authority in the State of Israel. It consists of ministers who are chosen and led by the prime minister. The composition of the governmen ...
. The Druze leadership appealed to Israeli prime minister
David Ben-Gurion
David Ben-Gurion ( ; he, דָּוִד בֶּן-גּוּרִיּוֹן ; born David Grün; 16 October 1886 – 1 December 1973) was the primary national founder of the State of Israel and the first prime minister of Israel. Adopting the name ...
in the mid-1950s to cancel the Druze exemption and draft Druze men into the Israeli military on the same basis as Jewish men.
Originally, they served in the framework of a special unit. Since the 1980s, Druze soldiers have increasingly joined regular combat units of the IDF, and have attained high ranks and commendations for distinguished service. The service-continuation rate of Druze Israeli males stood at 83 percent in 2009.
According to IDF statistics, 369 Druze soldiers have been killed in Israeli combat operations
since 1948.
There is a long-standing Israeli government policy of encouraging Bedouins to volunteer and offering them various incentives. In some Bedouin communities, a military career is seen as a means of social mobility in Israel. Christian and Muslim Arabs are also accepted as volunteers.
In 1987, Unit 300 was officially renamed to the ''Sword Battalion''.
[Surrounded: Palestinian soldiers in the Israeli military. By Rhoda Ann Kanaaneh. p. 53]
In May 2015, the IDF revealed its plan to disband the Sword Battalion, after research revealed the vast majority of its recruits would rather integrate into the rest of the military.
Gallery
File:Bedouin, Minority Units IDF 1949.jpg, A Bedouin serving in one of the minority units of the Israel Defense Forces (13/05/1949)
File:Flickr - Government Press Office (GPO) - A druze idf soldier.jpg, A Druze IDF soldier guarding a mobile power station with a ''Mauser Kar. 98k'' rifle (13/5/1949)
File:Bedouin IDF1949.jpg, Bedouin-Israeli soldiers at a military parade in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...
in 1949
File:Flickr - Israel Defense Forces - IDF Unique Unit 'Herev' Conducts an Exercise in Northern Israel.jpg, IDF Sword Battalion recruits during a military exercise in northern Israel
The Northern District ( he, מחוז הצפון, ''Mekhoz HaTzafon''; ar, منطقة الشمال, ''Minṭaqat ash-Shamāl'') is one of Israel's six administrative districts. The Northern District has a land area of 4,478 km2, which incre ...
in 2011
See also
*
Druze
The Druze (; ar, دَرْزِيٌّ, ' or ', , ') are an Arabic-speaking esoteric ethnoreligious group from Western Asia who adhere to the Druze faith, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, syncretic, and ethnic religion based on the teachings of ...
**
Israeli Druze
Israeli Druze or Druze Israelis ( ar, الدروز الإسرائيليون; he, דְּרוּזִים יִשְׂרְאֵלִים) are an ethnoreligious minority among the Arab citizens of Israel. In 2019, there were 143,000 Druze people living ...
*
Circassians
The Circassians (also referred to as Cherkess or Adyghe; Adyghe and Kabardian: Адыгэхэр, romanized: ''Adıgəxər'') are an indigenous Northwest Caucasian ethnic group and nation native to the historical country-region of Circassia in ...
**
Israeli Circassians
*
Bedouins
The Bedouin, Beduin, or Bedu (; , singular ) are nomadic Arabs, Arab tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant, and Mesopotamia. The Bedouin originated in the Syrian Desert ...
**
Negev Bedouins in Israel
*
Israeli Christians
Christianity in Israel is called ''Natsrut b'Yisrael'' ( he, נצרות בישראל, natsrút b'yisra'él) in Modern Hebrew and ''al-Masihiat fi 'Isra'il'' ( ar, المسيحية في إسرائيل, almasīḥiyyāt fī ʾisrāʾīl) in Ara ...
References
Further reading
*Parsons, Laila (2001). The Druze and the birth of Israel. In Eugene L. Rogan and Avi Shalim (Eds.). ''The War for Palestine'' (pp. 60–78). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
*Zeedan, Rami (2015). Battalion of Arab- The History of the Minorities' Unit in the IDF from 1948 to 1956. Ben Shemen, Israel: Modan Publishing, in cooperation with Maarachot. (Hebre
*
Zeedan, Rami. "The Role of Military Service in the Integration/Segregation of Muslims, Christians and Druze within Israel." Societies 9, no. 1 (2019): 1
{{Authority control
1948 Arab–Israeli War
Military units and formations of Israel
Military units and formations established in 1948
Battalions of Israel
Military units and formations disestablished in 2015