Brig.-Gen. Yehudit Grisaro, the chief of General Staff's adviser on women's issues, shares her experiences and predictions,
By LAUREN GELFOND FELDINGERYehudit Grisaro 88 224(photo credit: IDF Spokesperson)What is the most important issue your office is working on?
The most important issue is how to integrate women in the right way. It's a serious issue. We are not doing our job only to create equal opportunities for women - that's important. But much more important is to improve the effectiveness of the IDF. We need to look carefully at the differences between women and men to find answers. We should look at this issue as part of a very complicated system, not just who was nominated for high rank. There are factors of culture, social process and the law.
What is the most recent important landmark for women in the military?
The commitment and conclusion of the 2007 committee [to make recommendations for women's integration issues] is a meaningful step - dealing with combat and all aspects of women's service, how it should look, classification, equal opportunity, length of service, how to engage day-to-day life. It's a whole system of women's service and service model, maybe for the first time. It was previously done piecemeal over the years.
One of our recommendations deals with the length of service. It's not only up to the IDF but the law - the Knesset - to look at integration in all aspects and the need to create a vector for where we want to go. We need to ask if differences in length of service are right and to decide if we want to change it.
Maybe we will have a full program, but it depends on what kind of recommendations the chief of General Staff will accept and implement. My prediction for a time frame is maybe three months... We have waited so long.
What is the current status of the committee?
The issue of women in combat is progressing and we have been improving integration since 2000. There have been great improvements, and most of the taboos have been lifted. We allowed women to serve as fighters in anti-aircraft, artillery, Karakal light infantry, pilots, navigators, sailors, search and rescue, etc. The fact that I can't remember all the units is a good indication of how many are now open to women. We are also working to create a vision for service of women and make sure all we are doing is appropriate for where we want to be 10 years from now. We are like a start-up organization [with a long-term plan].
Do you expect to see women in face-to-face combat eventually?
That's a big question and I don't know how to answer. But we have to ask hard questions and answer honestly and professionally, and not just based on the past and tradition. When I talk about integration into Golani and Givati, people respond, "Look at the US, women are not allowed in face-to-face combat."
And my answer is, "Women are not drafted in the US." And if we draft women for two years, a long and meaningful time, we need to ask and answer honestly and professionally: Why not allow suitable women to serve in combat units?
I'm optimistic that one day women will be allowed to serve in the infantry. I don't expect women and men will be the same. If there are a few who can pass the physical exams and are equipped with the ability and motivation, it will not be because of equality, but because of effectiveness.
What is your response to the specific arguments against having women in combat, for example that women are too weak, will need to be protected, will not be able to carry equal amounts of gear, will be distracting, and could even be taken hostage and raped, which would be devastating to national morale?
I'm a mother of three boys - I can tell you my sons are not much stronger than their female colleagues in every field and I cannot say all men are very strong heroes and all women are weak. I don't expect to find the same abilities. I'm sure there are weak and strong women.
Women want to say, "Don't patronize me. Please test my abilities; make clear criteria; and if I'm accepted, please deal with it, accept me."
But I don't think gender is the point of the debate... The point is to create objective criteria and allow all people without any discrimination to take part - and please respect the results.
What are other areas of integration beyond combat?
We are working on the number of women in technology and combat support, especially in operational units, and not only in workshops, but in the field. We see a great improvement in the IAF on this issue - 25% today. We want to duplicate this success in the ground forces.
We are also working on the number of religious women, maybe to create a special unit with special conditions that will give them the opportunity to combine their religious lifestyle with the demands of military service - to pray, eat, be together with other religious women, to feel it's the right place for them and not feel different or alienated.
What is the approach to integration: to create jobs appropriate for women or to have women conform to male jobs?
There is no contradiction between the two attitudes. We need to seek the best potential in people without discrimination, and find the right way to use this potential. If we find conclusively that a specific possibility is more right for women than men, it's okay - but based on objective parameters.
Is there an example of a job that's better for a woman than a man?
I admit most soldiers in field intelligence are women. It's a very important and difficult mission. We understood that women are more appropriate, but if I find a man who is appropriate, it's okay. Women are better motivated; they see it as operational and meaningful and sit for hours looking at computers and are very focused on each movement. The movement might be an enemy. You might need to call the fighters. Before women were there, males did it, and commanders say the women do it much better.
What kinds of changes will there need to be to accommodate women into new roles? Will the IDF need to build new barracks, new bathrooms, new uniforms, for example?
Women are equal but different. We need to respond to differences between men and women, so we need to create an appropriate utility vest, appropriate practices, appropriate food, if we want to build the ability of women to the maximum. We used to say, "Give the same opportunity, same clothes, same practice and it's okay." No, we need to be aware of differences and not give up because of differences. It costs money, but it's key to the better use of our potential.
What is the meaning of the inscribed ring you wear?
The inscription is from the Kabbala - a blessing for success. My mom gave it to me when I was promoted. My mother is my role model; she's a great woman, very decisive, a fighter; she didn't serve as a fighter, but life gave her opportunities to fight and she did it very well. I love her a lot; she had a great role in my IDF career. She supported me all the time. Without her support and that of my husband and children, I couldn't be here today so proud and satisfied.
