The Promised Land of Israel
Published Aug 19, 2018 12:05 am
GENTLE BREEZE
By NELLY FAVIS VILLAFUERTE
Israel, a small nation that faces more external threats than most countries, is among the world’s top high-tech military powers. How Israel developed and created superior technology and weaponry for its
Nelly Favis Villafuerte
military over the years is a story that continues to awe and amaze the world. In the midst of escalating instability throughout the Middle East and other countries and the urban terror threats from ISIS and other terror groups, the technology and weaponry developed by Israel is in high-demand. No wonder today, Israel’s military stands out.
* * *
Let me now continue sharing with you more interesting information about the world-famous Israel Defense Forces (IDF) of Israel, a small country that is almost always in a state of conflict (References: Internet reports and the book titled The Weapon Wizards – How Israel Became a High-Tech Military Superpower by Katz and Bohbot):
• About 30 percent of Israel’s investment in Research and Development (R & D) goes to products of a military nature -- compared to only 2 percent of German R & D and 17percent of US R & D for the military.
• US popular newspaper columnist Fareed Zakaria wrote that: “Israel’s weapons are far more sophisticated, often a generation ahead of those used by its adversaries.”
• Although Israel has been engaged in a military conflict every decade since its establishment, tourists have been going to Israel – approximately three million tourists a year. In short, the national security threat looming daily in Israel does not discourage tourists to visit Israel.
• The absence of social hierarchy in Israel is evident everywhere in the country – in the military, in the streets, and even in government offices where low-level staffers call ministers by their nicknames.
• Israel is a country of nicknames. Examples: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is publicly called “Bibi” and Israel’s Reuven Rivlin is called “Rivi.”
• A culture of informality permeates the military organization. Thus, there is a free exchange of ideas of military men regardless of rank – encouraging the emergence of new ideas. In the IDF, it is normal for the commander of the Israel Air Force (IAF) on a training mission to take the backseat to a young pilot sometimes half his age. This is shocking to foreign military officers visiting the Israel military force.
• Israel has compulsory military service for men and women for a definite period of time. In fact, the IDF relies heavily on reservists during the times of war as well as for routine operations.
• Israel’s reservists in its military continue to serve in the military every year even after the soldiers are discharged. For example, pilots usually continue flying once a week while combat soldiers are drafted for two to three week stints each year – half for training and the other half for routine patrols and border operations. In Israel, almost everyone serves in the military. Men are drafted for three years and women for two.
• The average age in the IDF is slightly over 20. In other countries, the average age is older – as in the US Armed Forces where the average is 29.
• In Israel, investing in a soldier makes every soldier important not just to his family but to the entire nation.
• In Israel, the value place on a single soldier is priceless. In 2011, Israel released more than 1,000 prisoners in exchange for a single soldier who had been held captive by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Prisoner exchanges like this have been entered into by Israeli government since 1980s.
• The IDF encourages its officers to get a “multidisciplinary” education. Due to Israel’s limited human resources, engineers cross over to other fields and specialize in more than one task. This is why many senior officers and top executives in Israeli defense companies have different degrees in different fields. For example, an IDF officer is encouraged to get a BA in electronics and then an MA in something else, like physics or public policy.
• A good example of the “multidisciplinary” education is the case of Brig. Gen. Danny Gold, the mind behind the development of the revolutionary Iron Dome rocket defense system. He took a sabbatical in the middle of his air force career and received two doctorates – one in business management and the other in electrical engineering. The two degrees helped Gold get the revolutionary Iron Dome off the ground.
• Israel’s premier technological unit in IDF, the world-famous TALPIOT, was born out of a disaster, the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Israel was caught unprepared when Syria and Egypt attacked on a holy Jewish fast day. In this war, more than 2000 soldiers were killed and countless aircraft and tanks were destroyed.
• Talpiot, a small elite technological unit of IDF, has produced only about 1,000 graduates in about four decades. Participants in the technological program undergo a rigorous 40-month training program and later receive multidisciplinary education and become familiar with the entire spectrum of the IDF’s technical capabilities. After the 40 months of training, the longest in the IDF, participant would receive a degree in physics, mathematics, or complete science, while completing combat training with the elite participants. Today, Talpions (graduates of the Talpiot program) are assigned in all of Israel’s various agencies including the police.
(To be continued)
* * *
This column continues to give out copies of the Holy Bible for free to those who cannot afford to buy their own copies. If interested, please send your letter-request to Ms. Nelly Favis Villafuerte, 5233 LRV Building, Fahrenheit St., Palanan, Makati City. Kindly mention if it is the Tagalog, English, Cebuano, or Ilocano Bible that is preferred.
Be joyful and forgiving! (Comments may be sent to Ms. Villafuerte’s email: [email protected])
Nelly Favis Villafuerte
military over the years is a story that continues to awe and amaze the world. In the midst of escalating instability throughout the Middle East and other countries and the urban terror threats from ISIS and other terror groups, the technology and weaponry developed by Israel is in high-demand. No wonder today, Israel’s military stands out.
* * *
Let me now continue sharing with you more interesting information about the world-famous Israel Defense Forces (IDF) of Israel, a small country that is almost always in a state of conflict (References: Internet reports and the book titled The Weapon Wizards – How Israel Became a High-Tech Military Superpower by Katz and Bohbot):
• About 30 percent of Israel’s investment in Research and Development (R & D) goes to products of a military nature -- compared to only 2 percent of German R & D and 17percent of US R & D for the military.
• US popular newspaper columnist Fareed Zakaria wrote that: “Israel’s weapons are far more sophisticated, often a generation ahead of those used by its adversaries.”
• Although Israel has been engaged in a military conflict every decade since its establishment, tourists have been going to Israel – approximately three million tourists a year. In short, the national security threat looming daily in Israel does not discourage tourists to visit Israel.
• The absence of social hierarchy in Israel is evident everywhere in the country – in the military, in the streets, and even in government offices where low-level staffers call ministers by their nicknames.
• Israel is a country of nicknames. Examples: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is publicly called “Bibi” and Israel’s Reuven Rivlin is called “Rivi.”
• A culture of informality permeates the military organization. Thus, there is a free exchange of ideas of military men regardless of rank – encouraging the emergence of new ideas. In the IDF, it is normal for the commander of the Israel Air Force (IAF) on a training mission to take the backseat to a young pilot sometimes half his age. This is shocking to foreign military officers visiting the Israel military force.
• Israel has compulsory military service for men and women for a definite period of time. In fact, the IDF relies heavily on reservists during the times of war as well as for routine operations.
• Israel’s reservists in its military continue to serve in the military every year even after the soldiers are discharged. For example, pilots usually continue flying once a week while combat soldiers are drafted for two to three week stints each year – half for training and the other half for routine patrols and border operations. In Israel, almost everyone serves in the military. Men are drafted for three years and women for two.
• The average age in the IDF is slightly over 20. In other countries, the average age is older – as in the US Armed Forces where the average is 29.
• In Israel, investing in a soldier makes every soldier important not just to his family but to the entire nation.
• In Israel, the value place on a single soldier is priceless. In 2011, Israel released more than 1,000 prisoners in exchange for a single soldier who had been held captive by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Prisoner exchanges like this have been entered into by Israeli government since 1980s.
• The IDF encourages its officers to get a “multidisciplinary” education. Due to Israel’s limited human resources, engineers cross over to other fields and specialize in more than one task. This is why many senior officers and top executives in Israeli defense companies have different degrees in different fields. For example, an IDF officer is encouraged to get a BA in electronics and then an MA in something else, like physics or public policy.
• A good example of the “multidisciplinary” education is the case of Brig. Gen. Danny Gold, the mind behind the development of the revolutionary Iron Dome rocket defense system. He took a sabbatical in the middle of his air force career and received two doctorates – one in business management and the other in electrical engineering. The two degrees helped Gold get the revolutionary Iron Dome off the ground.
• Israel’s premier technological unit in IDF, the world-famous TALPIOT, was born out of a disaster, the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Israel was caught unprepared when Syria and Egypt attacked on a holy Jewish fast day. In this war, more than 2000 soldiers were killed and countless aircraft and tanks were destroyed.
• Talpiot, a small elite technological unit of IDF, has produced only about 1,000 graduates in about four decades. Participants in the technological program undergo a rigorous 40-month training program and later receive multidisciplinary education and become familiar with the entire spectrum of the IDF’s technical capabilities. After the 40 months of training, the longest in the IDF, participant would receive a degree in physics, mathematics, or complete science, while completing combat training with the elite participants. Today, Talpions (graduates of the Talpiot program) are assigned in all of Israel’s various agencies including the police.
(To be continued)
* * *
This column continues to give out copies of the Holy Bible for free to those who cannot afford to buy their own copies. If interested, please send your letter-request to Ms. Nelly Favis Villafuerte, 5233 LRV Building, Fahrenheit St., Palanan, Makati City. Kindly mention if it is the Tagalog, English, Cebuano, or Ilocano Bible that is preferred.
Be joyful and forgiving! (Comments may be sent to Ms. Villafuerte’s email: [email protected])