Israel makes Islam, Arabic studies mandatory for intel officers: Here's why
The changes come in response to an intelligence failure that occurred around October 7, 2023, the IDF confirmed to Jewish News Syndicate.
The long-term goal is for future commanders to be fluent in Arabic and well-versed in Islamic culture, significantly strengthening their analytical capabilities — instilling in them 'doubt and deep observation,' as per officials.
'We cannot turn the soldiers and officers of the Intelligence Division into Arab children who grew up in the village, but through studying the language and culture, we can instill in them doubt and deep observation,' a senior Israeli intelligence official said, reported JNS.
According to The Jerusalem Post, the Islamic intelligence research staff will now be expected to attain proficiency in Arabic as part of their basic training. This is the first time that soldiers in technical and cyber roles will undergo training in Arabic and Islamic Studies.
By the end of next year, 100 per cent of AMAN (the Hebrew acronym for Israel's Military Intelligence Directorate) personnel will be trained in Islamic Studies and 50 per cent of them will undergo Arabic language training.
The Tel-M section, which promoted Arabic and Middle Eastern studies in Israeli schools and was closed six years ago, will be revived under Unit 8200 of the Israel military intelligence.
The change has been ordered by AMAN chief - Major General Shlomi Binder.
The new courses will also focus on the Houthi and Iraqi Arabic dialects, addressing operational challenges in understanding regional communications. Teachers from relevant backgrounds have been recruited to ensure authentic instruction of the same, reported JNS.
Previously, training in Arabic language and Islamic Studies was not compulsory for intelligence units, and was largely limited to translators or field operatives.
According to a research article by Taylor and Francis titled 'Military intelligence and the securitization of Arabic proficiency in Israel: the limits of influence and the curse of unintended consequences,' in 1986, a military-led unit was formed to promote Arabic instruction in schools, but it was dissolved in 2001 amid budget cuts.
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‘Crossed all red lines': Why Israel minister's visit to al-Aqsa mosque has sparked outrage
Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir is no stranger to controversy and on Sunday (August 3), he sparked a new row by offering prayers at the religious al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. Here's why his act has been called a 'blatant violation of international law' read more Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir speaks outside the Dome of the Rock at the al-Aqsa mosque compound (known to Jews as the Temple Mount) in the old city of Jerusalem on August 3, coinciding with the Jewish holiday of Tisha B'Av. AFP An Israeli minister's visit to a temple has caused anger and outrage resulting in countries like Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey to condemn it. It all began when Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir led a group of Jewish worshipers in prayer atop the Temple Mount on Sunday and prayed at the al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem, violating a decades-old arrangement covering one of the most sensitive sites in West Asia. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD At the spot, Ben Gvir also called for his country to 'conquer' Gaza and 'encourage' Palestinians to leave the enclave. But why has his visit caused such a stir? What's behind the fury? Ben Gvir offers prayers at al-Aqsa mosque On Sunday (August 3), the far-right minister visited the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem and prayed there along with thousands of others under the protection of the Israeli military. According to Times of Israel, he offered prayers, a first for Ben Gvir, who has visited the site in the past too. The prayers came on the occasion of Tisha B'Av, when Jews mourn the destruction of two Jewish temples. After leading prayers at the religious site, Ben Gvir called for the annexation of Gaza and for Palestinians to leave the territory. He said that he prayed for Israel's victory over the Palestinian militant group Hamas and for the return of Israeli hostages being held by militants there, and repeated his call for Israel to conquer the entire enclave. תיעוד מהר הבית: בן גביר הוביל את התפילה, עשרות רקדו ושרו — ערוץ 7 (@arutz7heb) August 3, 2025 'It is from here that a message must be sent: to conquer the entire Gaza Strip, declare sovereignty over all of Gaza, eliminate every Hamas member, and encourage voluntary emigration,' the minister said in a video recorded at the compound. 'Only in this way will we bring back the hostages and win the war.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Condemnation for Ben Gvir's visit Soon after Ben Gvir visited the al-Aqsa mosque and offered prayers, he was slammed by many for being provocative and violating an age-old agreement. Hamas called Ben Gvir's visit 'a deepening of the ongoing aggressions against our Palestinian people'. Even the spokesperson for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said the visit 'crossed all red lines. 'The international community, specifically the US administration, must intervene immediately to put an end to the crimes of the settlers and the provocations of the extreme right-wing government in al-Aqsa Mosque, stop the war on the Gaza Strip and bring in humanitarian aid,' said the spokesperson in a statement. Officials from Jordan, which administrates the holy site, also condemned Ben Gvir's actions. Jordan's foreign ministry described the incident as a 'blatant violation of international law and international humanitarian law, an unacceptable provocation, and a condemned escalation.' Saudi Arabia also slammed Ben Gvir for his actions, with the kingdom accusing the Israeli leader of fueling conflict. A statement by Saudi's foreign ministry on X condemned 'in the strongest terms … the repeated provocative practices by officials of the Israeli occupation authorities against al-Aqsa mosque. The kingdom affirms that such practices fuel the conflict in the region.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Later, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement in response to Ben Gvir's visit, insisting that 'Israel's policy of maintaining the status quo on the Temple Mount has not changed and will not change.' However, Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz vowed to 'strengthen' Jewish sovereignty on the Temple Mount. 'Israel's enemies around the world will continue to make decisions against us and demonstrate, and we will strengthen our hold and sovereignty over Jerusalem, the Western Wall, and the Temple Mount forever and ever,' Katz wrote on X. 'On Tisha B'Av, 2,000 years after the destruction of the Second Temple, the Western Wall and the Temple Mount are once again under the sovereignty of the State of Israel.' The Al-Aqsa mosque, also known to Jews as Temple Mount, is considered holy to the Muslims as well as the Jews. File image/Reuters But why the outrage over his visit That's because of the history of this site. The al-Aqsa lies at the heart of Jerusalem's Old City on a hill known to Jews as Har ha-Bayit, or Temple Mount, and to Muslims internationally as al-Haram al-Sharif, or The Noble Sanctuary. Muslims regard the site as the third holiest in Islam, after Mecca and Medina. They believe the site is where Prophet Muhammad led his fellow prophets in prayer during a miraculous night journey, known as the Miraj. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On the other hand, Temple Mount, as the Jews call it, is the holiest place in Judaism. According to Jews, it where two ancient Jewish temples once stood – the temple built by King Solomon, which was destroyed by the Babylonians, and the second temple, destroyed by the Romans. Following the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, it was decided that Jordan would control matters inside the compound while the external security would be the responsibility of Israel. Furthermore, non-Muslims would be allowed on to the site during visiting hours, but would not be allowed to pray there. Now, herein lies the problem. Israeli forces have stationed guards at the site and permitted Jews to enter the compound, upsetting Muslims. It has also resulted in clashes at the site in the past — with the most recent one being in 2023 when 14 Palestinians were injured after Israeli police officials attacked dozens of worshippers at the religious site's compound. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Moreover, Palestinians view visits by Jewish leaders as provocative and as a potential precursor to Israel seizing control over the compound. Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has visited the al-Aqsa compound on multiple occasions in the past. However, Sunday's visit was unique as he offered prayers for the first time. File image/Reuters Ben Gvir and al-Aqsa mosque Notably, this isn't the first time that Ben Gvir has run into controversy. The fiery far-right minister has been convicted eight times for offences that include racism and supporting a terrorist organisation. Just last week, he was declared a persona non grata by the Netherlands for reportedly inciting violence against Palestinians, advocating for the expansion of illegal settlements and calling for ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip. He's also been sanctioned by Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom. Moreover, he's known to make fiery and controversial statements at the al-Aqsa mosque site. Last August, he said in an interview that he would build a synagogue at the al-Aqsa compound. 'If I could do anything I wanted, I would put an Israeli flag on the site,' Ben Gvir said in the interview. And when asked several times by a journalist if he would build a synagogue at the site if it were up to him, Ben-Gvir finally replied: 'Yes.' With inputs from agencies
Economic Times
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Israeli PM Netanyahu asks Red Cross for help after 'profound shock' of Gaza hostage videos
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West Asia News Live: Saudi-Iraq economic talks, Al-Aqsa tensions, Iran's crackdown mark a volatile day
August 4, 2025, 06:38:21 (IST) Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Mother of slain hostage calls for Israel to 'surrender' to Hamas, adding pressure on war strategy Iris Haim, the mother of Yotam Haim, a hostage who was mistakenly killed by the Israeli military in late 2023, has made a public call for Israel to 'surrender' to Hamas to secure the release of remaining hostages, according to a report in Times of Israel. This statement adds a significant layer of social and political pressure on the government's war strategy, amplifying the domestic debate over the conflict's objectives and its duration. From a financial perspective, such growing internal divisions and prominent calls to end the conflict could influence investor sentiment regarding Israel's political stability and the long-term economic costs of the war, including sustained high defence expenditure and impacts on the labour market.
