The Tomer battalion receives only soldiers who come from Chareidi backgrounds and keep a Chareidi lifestyle The battalion was established by the former commander of the Givati Brigade Ofer Winter. Last Wednesday the battalion took over the Hebron assignment, which is considered one of the most complicated assignments in the country. This is due to the intertwined lifestyles led in the city between its Israeli and Palestinian populations.

The Netzach Yerushalayim battalion is leaving the difficult region of Ramallah, but moving to a more complicated assignment in that of Jenin. The Netzach Yehuda battalion is made up of 70 percent orthodox soldiers and 30 percent Chareidi soldiers. The unit has undergone a series of tragedies recently, and the change is expected to boost morale.

The Givati brigade together with the Tomer battalion have taken over the Hebron region according to a spokesperson from the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, and the Tomet division told BeCchadrei Charedim that the Tomer division will be responsible for maintaining security at a number of checkpoints leading up to the Ma’arah.

The move to place the Chareidi soldiers in some of the most complicated assignments in the country has been taken as a vote of confidence by supporters of Chareidi enlistment, showing that the IDF believes that these soldiers are worthy of protecting the State of Israel and its people.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)