After rabbis’ threat, IDF says men and women won’t serve in same tanks

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/after-rabbis-threat-idf-says-men-and-women-wont-serve-in-same-tanks/

The Israel Defense Forces on Wednesday insisted that men and women won’t serve together inside the same tanks, in response to a threat by the leaders of 12 yeshivas who said earlier that they would no longer send their students to join tank units because of a pilot plan to integrate women into the Armored Corps.

Among the signatories to the rabbis’ letter were Rabbi Elyakim Levanon and Rabbi Shahar Imber, the joint heads of the Elon Moreh yeshiva, and Rabbi Baruch Wieder, head of Hakotel Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

The tentative coed pilot program in the Armored Corps — whose units are trained to enter deep into enemy territory — was originally scheduled to start in 2024. The IDF had previously deemed the program impractical. Its opening was delayed twice during the multifront war, and the IDF last said it was expected to begin in November 2026.