[tkahn6]

This may be orthogonal to your point, but understand that only the willing actually serve in combat roles.

Granted all go through basic training and then reserve training periodically after they finish their service, but that's because in a time of real existential danger, everyone fights.

[idan]

Um, no.

If you are certified as combat-capable, and you are placed with a combat unit, you must go. If you refuse, you go to army jail. Army jail time does not count as service time, so when you get out of army jail, you still have a term of service to complete.

[snotrockets]

Luckily, after about six months to a year of jail time (used to be less. A friend spent more than a year,) the army deems you unfit to serve, and you are exempt from service.

[endtime]

That may be true, but not for women. The article only mentions catching women, who (I believe) have multiple non-military options for their national service.

[snotrockets]

Not so.

In Israel, military service is compulsory for women as well, and there is no option for non-military compulsory national service.

Non-military national service is voluntarily open to those exempt from military service for various reasons. But it isn't a must, and you can be exempt from military service, and not do any national service.

[endtime]

Ah, thanks for clarifying. What I should have said, and what I was thinking, was that there are non-combat options for women. I don't know if women are allowed to be lochemim but I am pretty sure they aren't forced to - right?

[tkahn6]

Ah ok. Is it not true, however, that it is very easy to 'fail' the combat readiness tests if one was so inclined? I've heard (from friends/cousins in Israel) that most Israeli youth are aware of various tactics to get out of combat service.