ABSTRACT

In this chapter we analyze the manner by which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) ‘manages’ social and cultural ‘diversity’. ‘Diversity’ as such is not a central issue, as it is in the armed forces of other countries, where the formulation of policies and arrangements for ‘minorities’ must be understood as part of a much wider rethinking about the future of the armed forces. Understanding the management of diversity in the IDF necessitates taking into account the ongoing debate about its continued role in the definition of Israeli ‘nationhood’ (‘the people’s army’) and its evolution into a small, compact force based on professionals (a ‘professional army’). It is within this wider debate, and its organizational and institutional derivatives, that the administration of diverse groups and demands should be seen.