Amid much controversy, Israel this week is set to field its very first female tank crews.
For years already, activists have been working to complete the integration of women in the Israeli army by opening the Armored Corps to the fairer sex.
The upcoming trial period will see 13 female graduates of an abbreviated Armored Corps course deployed to three tanks guarding the Israel-Egypt border.
While each of the three tanks will have a seasoned male commander, IDF officials stressed that the long-term goal is not co-ed tank crews. Rather, if the trial is successful, the Israeli army is looking to have all-female tank crews operating alongside their male counterparts.
According to army sources, the female tanks will serve in a defensive (and stationary) capacity only, and will never be called upon to enter and maneuver within enemy territory.
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