WHY IS ISRAEL MANDATING ARABIC AND ISLAMIC STUDIES FOR IDF INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS?

Sun 27 July 2025:

Israeli media reports that the IDF’s Intelligence Directorate is rolling out major reforms in response to critical intelligence failures during the October 7 Hamas attack. The IDF has issued a new mandate requiring all intelligence personnel to undergo training in Arabic and Islamic studies, with a focus on Houthi and Iraqi dialects, to better tackle challenges in decoding Houthi communications.

According to a report by The Jerusalem Post, all members of AMAN, which is the Hebrew short form for Israel’s Military Intelligence Directorate, will be trained in Islamic Studies by the end of next year.

The decision was made by AMAN Head Major General Shlomi Binder. Moreover, half of the soldiers will also be receiving training in Arabic.

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Why did IDF make Arabic mandatory for military?

According to the Israeli local media report, the IDF’s Intelligence Directorate will be making these new changes in the military. This comes after Israel faced major intelligence setbacks linked to the events of the October 7 Hamas attack.

The move will help in making future commanders fluent in Arabic and knowledgeable about Islamic culture, further helping them analyse situations more effectively when needed.

Doron Kadosh, the military correspondent for Israel’s Army Radio, told the Jerusalem Post that a new department will be set up to focus on Arabic and Islamic teaching for the soldiers and officers.

Additionally, along with other changes, the IDF is also planning to restart the Telem. Earlier, the Telem programme supported Arabic and Middle Eastern education in Israeli middle and high schools, but six years ago, it was closed due to a funding crisis.

A senior AMAN officer told Army Radio, “Until now, we haven’t been good enough in the areas of culture, language, and Islam. We need to improve in these areas. We won’t turn our intelligence officers and soldiers into Arab kids who grew up in a village, but through language and cultural studies, we can instill in them doubt and deep observation.”

By the end of next year, all intelligence soldiers, including cyber experts from Unit 8200, will be trained in Islamic studies, and 50 per cent of them will be trained in Arabic.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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