(IDF) IDF Watchmen At Sea

"IDF Website joined the Israeli Navy’s Dvora company responsible for routine security on borders for a short dive into the maritime fighters’ world.

The Israeli Navy’s Dvora Company is one of the busiest in the entire Navy. Day by day, hour by hour, the company’s soldiers guard Israel’s maritime border, fighting alongside the rest of the Navy in a state of emergency. But it’s not enough to be a savvy mechanic or a savvy sailor to be a Dvora fighter. You must be able to live at sea for long periods of time in a small, contained dwelling that sways to and fro.



IDF Website joined company 914 on their training for various scenarios on the northern border. At noon on the platform, a number of Dvora patrol boats from the Pras commando unit were ready to set out for a training exercise. The weather was unusually hot for November, breezy, the sea waters calm and flat. The soldiers ran back and forth on the platform, yelling instructions at each other. One could feel the excitement rising as the time to set out to sea approached.

Within a few minutes, the boats began leaving the dock one by one, amid a fanfare of the soldiers’ shouts and songs bursting from the boats’ speakers. Six hours later, we found ourselves in the heart of the ocean, surrounded by utter darkness and gusts of freezing wind around us.

The maritime border guard

When one speaks about the Israeli Navy, one immediately thinks of the Shayetet 13 naval commandos, the Submarine Commando or missile ships but the Dvora Company works very quietly and just as hard. The company, sometimes called Batash, keeps an eye on the maritime border and makes sure that no hostile perpetrator enters Israel’s territorial waters. The company operates 365 days a year and 24 hours a day, in every season and in every situation. Though most of the work is routine security, the company also holds monthly training exercises to be prepared for any possible scenario.

The Dvora Company is named after its legendary naval vessel, the Dvor, which, until recently, was the only one it sailed. Its been replaced these past few years by the Super Dvora Mk III and the Shaldag class Fast Patrol Boats. The Dvora is light and small, a 5.7-meter wide patrol boat able to reach high speeds. The Dvora has front and rear cannons as well as two machine guns. The company is divided into units commanded by officers with the rank of Captain.

Cooperation with ground forces

The exercise begins when four Dvora boats meet in the heart of the ocean, just off Haifa’s coast, for a competition called 'measurements'. The purpose of the competition is to raise the soldiers’ motivation for the training exercise, the mission to prepare the Dvora boat for operations in several steps. The winning Dvora is the one which finishes the mission first.

In the second part of the exercise, the Dvora soldiers practiced seamanship, routine security measure scenarios and shooting at night. During the training, soldiers did not stop working for a minute - not one minute of rest. Though the work is divided between seamanship and mechanics the sailor-mechanics do most of the work together with impressive professionalism.



An unexpected guest joined the training, namely the 914 Company’s Commander, Lt. Col. Oren Nahbas. Apparently, hospitality is part of the Dvora’s personnel tradition. 'We’re kind of sadistic,' told us Oren with a mischievous smile. 'We like it when people join us, get wet and throw up,' he said referring to us. As mentioned, it is not easy to serve at sea. The Dvora soldier spends an average of 200 hours per month at sea. 'The company’s weekly schedule is packed,' said Lt. Col. Nahbas and explained that besides routine security patrols, the Dvora boats and soldiers need to always be ready to go into combat and therefore are required to carry out many training exercise because 'we must not get complacent.'

These days, the company is striving to conduct training exercises according to the lessons learnt from the Second Lebanon War, Operation Cast Lead and Operation Sea Breeze (the Turkish flotilla to the Gaza Strip). The company that we joined did not take a significant part in Operation Cast Lead, but the successes resulting from cooperation between the Navy, ground and air forces have to do with them as well. 'That was a big success in terms of cooperation between the Navy and the ground forces, a kind of quantum leap,' explained Lt. Col. Nahbas.

'You need to know how to win in every situation'

In order to maintain the calm at the northern border, the Israeli Navy tries to reduce friction with the Lebanese. UN vessels also sail at sea, just like at land borders, and the Navy is usually in constant contact with the Coordination Headquarters, called N.O.C. 'Following the event that occurred last August at the border between Israel and Lebanon which resulted in the death of a Battalion Commander in reserves, we maintain a particularly high level of alertness,' explained Lt. Col. Nahbas. 'We want to heighten awareness and prepare ourselves for every scenario.'

At the end of the exercise, on the way back to port, the Dvora boats lit up the sky with their lights. There was a special feeling of excitement in the air, as before a get together. Once all the Dvora boats had been tied to port, the Company Commander sat members of one of the Dvora boats on the bow of the boat and summarized the exercise. The soldiers were already tired and could hardly cooperate. 'You need to know how to win in every situation,' the Company Commander said simply." (source)

(NEWS) Commander Of The Royal Netherlands Air Force Visits Israel Air Force

"Lieutenant General J.H.M.P (Jac) Jansen, Commander of the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF), visited Israel the second week of October as the personal guest of Major General Ido Nehushtan, IAF Commander. Lt. Gen. Jansen's visit took place as part of the effort to strengthen the professional relationship and cooperation between the RNLAF and the IAF.

During the course of his visit, Lt. Gen. Jansen toured the 'Palmachim' IAF base, where he visited the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Squadron and the 'Hetz' unit (anti-ballistic missiles), and the 'Ramon' IAF base where he visited both combat helicopter and combat jet squadrons.

Lt. Gen. Jansen also visited the 'Yad Vashem' holocaust museum, took an aerial tour of Israel with IAF Commander Maj. Gen. Nehushtan, and held meetings with both Maj. Gen. Nehushtan and other senior officers of the IAF.

Vice Chief of Staff of the US Air Force (USAF), Gen. Carrol Chandler, also visited the IAF last week, during which time the IAF presented its array of abilities, its missions and personnel to Gen. Chandler, with talks of expanding cooperation between the IAF and the USAF.

'The IAF and USAF have worked together for many years,' said Gen. Chandler in an interview with IAF Journal and continued, saying 'the IAF participates in training exercises Red Flag in the [USAF] base Nellis in Nevada. I can safely say these training exercises are carried out very well and that we learn a lot from the IAF.'" (source)

(NEWS) Druze Community Prepares To Fly Israel's UAV's

"IAF Commander Maj. Gen. Nechushtan visited the Druze community and praised it for its great contribution to the IDF.

'Is it possible that one day we will no longer need pilots because of UAVs?', 'Will somebody from the Druze population ever have the opportunity to be a pilot?'. These questions were not taken from a press conference or a newscast. These issues were raised by the curious students of the first Druze pre-army preparatory program.



IAF Commander Maj. Gen. Ido Nechushtan visited the Druze community and met with excited students in the military preparatory program. 'Regarding UAVs, it's true that we are developing them, but they will not replace manned aircrafts. A pilot fights on the battlefield and we cannot fight this battle from afar. We are developing UAVs but simultaneously buying planes. With room for pilots inside', answered the IAF Commander. 'In regards to the Druze pilots, the IAF is completely open and has already had a number of Druze navigators. Ultimately, the pilot’s wing pin is exactly the same as the navigator’s. There's no doubt that if many Druze soldiers join our Corps, there will also be a first Druze pilot.'

The IAF Commander began his visit with the Druze population at the Memorial for the Boys organization, which salutes the memory of fallen IDF soldiers from the Druze community, in Daliat-el-Carmel.

'We are an essential part of the national organization and our task is to preserve the memory of the 369 Druze soldiers killed in IDF activities,' said Amal Nasser al-Din, chairman of the Druze division of the Memorial for the Boys organization. 'We are integrated into the Jewish State and we do so because of ideology. This is our country and we are a part of it'.

Later, subjects like the importance of education in the Druze community, the integration of the community into the IAF’s Technological Branch and the community’s motivation to enlist in the IDF in general, and the IAF in particular, were discussed. 'It is a great honor for me to be here', said Maj. Gen. Nechushstan. 'This place is a symbol of the shared fate of the Jewish people and the Druze community in Israel. Our fates are bound together and the Druze community knows it well. 369 of your people even sacrificed their lives for the State of Israel. Hundreds of people from the Druze community serve in the IAF today and if anything symbolizes the great openness of our Corps, it is the fact that we accept Druze soldiers in every profession and already have Druze aircrew members and fighters'. The IAF Commander ended his visit at the Memorial for the Boys’ monument for fallen soldiers, where he laid a wreath in their memories.



Afterward, Maj. Gen. Nechushtan visited the memorial for Col. Nabih Mar’i, the former Deputy Commander of the Gaza Division who was killed in Rafah in 1996 during riots against the creation of an additional exit in the Western Wall tunnel. Nabih Mar’i paved the way for Druze soldiers serving throughout the IDF when he joined the Paratroopers Brigade at a time when Druze soldiers only enlisted in an Arab-speaking infantry unit formed at the inception of the army. After sending a letter to the Defense Minister at the time, Moshe Dayan, requesting to join the Paratroopers Brigade, he became one of the first four Druze to enlist in that brigade. Following his death, the memorial site was built at his home, and the IAF Commander visited and observed the legacy that Col. Nabih Mar’i left behind.

At the end of the day, the IAF Commander was shown typical local hospitality including dinner, black coffee and kanafeh (Middle Eastern confection) for desert. The hosted event took place at the home of an IAF officer, the second Druze navigator, Lt. G. At the entrance of the house, the navigator’s relatives were excitedly awaiting the visit, Lt. G. having received his pin about a year and a half ago and bringing great satisfaction and pride to his family and to the entire community.

'You can be proud of the education you passed on because it is the greatest investment in the future', said Maj. Gen. Nechushtan. 'You cannot fake education. What you invest is what you get in return. People who grow up here are educated, have values, and have a desire to give and they are the ones who will be IDF commanders. There is a deep alliance between us and more importantly, we understand that we share the same blood. From what I saw today, you see things the same way, the importance of investing in education and in our alliance'." (source)

(NEWS) Muslim Arab Officer Proudly Serving IDF

"Lt. Hesham Aborea enlisted in the IDF as a way to help his own Arab community. 'The IDF is a strong, challenging, non-discriminatory army, and is a great supporter of human rights.'

Lt. Hesham Aborea is a Muslim Arab officer in the IDF. His journey began in 2006 when he joined the army and it has not stopped since. He is currently serving in the IDF as the Community Relations Officer to the Arab Sector, speaking to the Arab community in times of emergency. His path to this very important and challenging role was not handed to him on a silver platter, but he appreciates his significant work. 'Every morning I think of ways to help the community'.



'It was very important for me to reach my community through education'

At a young age, Hesham Aborea began thinking about what he wanted to do in life, and how to get out of his village in Northern Israel. He graduated from Ben Gurion University with an Bachelor’s degree in Hebrew and began working, but observing the lifestyle of young men in his community made him want to join the army to better the Arab world. 'It's very hard to grow up for a young man where I am from. You finish high school, some continue studying, and others work manual labor jobs. For example, if I had a degree in social work, at an interview they'll ask me if I served in the army. If not, my chances would plummet, and then I would have to go back to my village and do manual labor. It's a cycle that a lot of young Arab men are stuck in so they turn to alcohol, drugs and violence. I saw this cycle and I decided to join the army.' Lt. Aborea enlisted in his late 20s to the IDF's Southern Command as a Youth Counselor for Bedouin high school students. He would speak to these students about various subjects like nonviolence, abstaining from drugs, being better acquainted with the land and country, and also about the Army. 'It was very important for me to reach my community through education. We had teachers, school principles, and different chairmen come in and talk to the kids. My point wasn't to push them to serve in the army, it was more to educate and inspire the students to serve their community.' Aborea says that 10 to 35 high school graduates would join the army.

After 6 months serving the IDF as a youth counselor, Aborea was sent to Commanders Course and was promoted to be a commander for a course which aided older teachers and other educational figures from within the Arab community in becoming youth counselors. 'I never thought that a 56 year old would have the drive to complete the course. We don't let just anyone pass, it's difficult and demanding.'

Due to his clear ambition to succeed and desire to help his community, Aborea's commanders recommended him for Officer's Training Course. On Israel's National Independence Day in 2007, less than a year into his service, Aborea became an IDF officer. He described his experience at the Bahd 1 Officer’s Training School as follows: 'We were all separated into different platoons and crews. The crew that I was in was made up of one Muslim Arab, me, and the rest were all orthodox men!' Lt. Aborea laughs, adding that 'they were the nicest group of people, they welcomed me with open arms and it did not make a difference to them what religion I was in. I joined them for Shabbat dinners and Jewish holidays.' Upon graduating the Officer's Training Course, Lt. Aborea was recognized as a Soldier of Excellence, and soon became a Platoon Commander in the Sde Boker base.

Sde Boker is an IDF base in southern Israel specifically intended for immigrants who wish to join the army. Lt. Hesham spent 12 training cycles in Sde Boker and then was offered another promotion, this time as an Enlistment Officer for southern Israel and east Jerusalem. 'I am never upset or sad when I get promoted and move on to a different job. I like to look forward. I am glad that I've helped my community in my previous job and I am continuing to serve the community in this new one.'

War does not differentiate between Jew and Muslim; we all live in Israel

'My job is to prepare the Arab community to handle any type of emergency. Whether it's an earthquake, a flood or a war, the community must be prepared with the same level of readiness as the Jewish community.' Lt. Aborea explains that, 'A missile or a war does not differentiate between Jew and Muslim. We all live in this country, thus we are all under the same threat together. Therefore, we all need to be able to protect ourselves.' Lt. Aborea has been serving in the Home Front Command as the Community Relations Officer to the Arab Sector for two months. He is the first Muslim Arab officer in the history of the IDF.



Currently, Lt. Aborea and his soldiers are gathering information about how the Arab community performs during an emergency. He meets with different community leaders and educators to study more about how to help the most. 'The fact that we are the IDF bothers the sector. As an Arab man, I understand the fears and doubts the community has. They see people in uniform coming into their area and they rebel, they think we want to take their land, but we just want to help them, train them and prepare them so that ultimately they will fend for themselves and be able to help themselves the same way the Jewish community can at a time of emergency, whatever it may be.'

Lt. Aborea describes how the Home Front Command trained Arab women in Search and Rescue emergency response. 'It's not an easy training course; it takes effort to be in the Search and Rescue teams. We have several personnel, however, it's not enough, not enough by a long shot, and we need more people.' Lt. Aborea says that an assortment of Arab organizations support these Search and Rescue teams, and also try to spread the message of the importance of these teams. 'I have a long list of different organizations that help us. But sometimes, some Arab organizations don't want to be associated with something that is related to the IDF.'

'Some people may disagree with the fact that I am wearing an IDF uniform, but I am here to serve you'

Lt. Aborea’s rank may not seem to be at a matching level to his task. He explains, 'I am supposed to be a Captain, and I will be soon. But it doesn't have to do with the ranking. Even a Colonel couldn't do my job, because I am Arab, I know the sector, I grew up in an Arab village, I am familiar with the community and the lifestyle. I know what most of the Arabs in Israel watch, and how they feel about things. It's about understanding and having the full motivation to want to help your community. It may seem that because I am an Arab Muslim the sector would be more prone to trust me. However, some people may disagree with the fact that I am wearing an IDF uniform, but I stand on my own, I am here to serve you- take it or leave it.'

Lt. Aborea explains that in order to get to where he is now he had to work tirelessly for five years. 'I wasn't always like this. Before army life, I was a student. I would wake up late, just do my own thing. But being in the army makes me wake up early and I know I am going to do something greater than myself. I have always been motivated, but in the army I learned that failure to be something is a challenge and success is the motivation. I don't wonder to myself why I failed, I try to figure out how I can do better and move on from there.'

Final Say...

Lt. Hesham Aborea is very happy to be serving his community and is happy to belong to an organization like the IDF. He concludes, 'I want to emphasize that the IDF helps any soldier, and it will gladly accept Arab soldiers as long as they are skilled in their task. The IDF is a strong, challenging, non-discriminatory army, and is a great supporter of human rights. This is the first step to bringing both the Jewish and Muslim nations together. I hope that we may live in peace and equality for both nations.'" (source)

(NEWS) Commander Of The German Military Visits Israel

"Commander of the German Military, General Volker Wieker, visits Israel as guest of IDF Chief of the General Staff.

Commander of the German military, General Volker Wieker, will arrive at Israel on Tuesday (Oct. 12) for a several-day work visit, as the guest of IDF Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Gabi Ashkenazi.



This is General Wieker's first visit to Israel and one of his first foreign visits at the German military's commander.

General Wieker will begin his visit with a tour of the Yad Vashem museum, where he will attend a special memorial ceremony and lay a bouquet of flowers in memory of the victims of the holocaust.

Upon his arrival, General Wieker will attend an honorary guard at the Qirya base in Tel-Aviv and then proceed to a work meeting with Lt. Gen. Ashkenazi. Lt. Gen. Wieker will attend security and strategy assessments held by members of the General Staff, meet with the next Chief of the General Staff, GOC Southern Command, Major General Yoav Galant and hold several tours in the IDF Northern Command and the Israel Air Force.

The IDF sees international military cooperation as essential to deal with mutual challenges, most notably the war on terror. General Wieker's visit to Israel is part of a series of visits to the IDF, by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Military, commander of the Bulgarian Military, commander of the Kenyan Military and more." (source)