Israeli Military Police
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The military police of the Israel Defense Forces (Hebrew: חיל המשטרה הצבאית, Heil HaMishtara HaTzvayit) is the Israeli military police. The military police serves the Human Resources Directorate in the IDF, although it falls under a different command during an emergency situation (such as war).
The military police has attracted a negative image over the years due to it being responsible for putting many Israeli soldiers in jail for various misconducts, but this image is thought to be recovering, especially as of 2004 when the police started to check Palestinians at checkpoints (a position most Israelis consider vital for the state's security).
The military police is also known for having one of the strictest levels of discipline in the IDF. It is also one of the first corps to allow women to perform equal duties to men, and the first corps to have a combat-certified woman.
In the Israel Defense Forces, it is responsible for the following:
- Enforcing the discipline and proper image of Israeli soldiers, especially new military laws that come into being
- Guarding Israeli military prisons, both those with Israeli and Palestinian prisoners
- Checking Palestinians for weapons and explosives, and sometimes their intentions at checkpoints
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- This responsibility was passed to the military police in 2004, before which it was taken up by other corps.
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[edit] History
The Israeli Military Police was founded in 1936, as a Jewish youth paramilitary organization called Notrim. It was legal under British Mandate law, unlike its many counterparts such as the Haganah. Its original purpose was to defend and police Jewish yishuv localities during the 1936-1939 Arab revolt in Palestine. In 1937, the organization was given permission to expand, due to lack of British manpower allocated for defending Jewish villages in Palestine.
During World War II, HaNotrim became part of the Jewish Brigades, where it grew and became more known among the Palestinian Jewish public. Many new recruits joined the organization, where they went through a filtering process where it was decided what unit they were to be placed in.
During Israel's fight for independence between 1945 and 47, the Jewish leadership created the Military Police out of the organization, which became a small contingent of four units (Disciplinary Military Police, Traffic Supervision Military Police, Investigations Military Police, and the Prison Division), each proficient in its respective field. The first military police course took place during Israel's founding and the military police immediately joined the effort to fight the invading Arab forces. Military police troops participated in Operation Yoav, Operation Ovda, and others. Overall however, the military police concentrated on creating road signs and guiding troop movement.
In 1949, the name of the military police was changed from Military Police Service (Sherut Mishtara Tzvayit) to Military Police Corps (Heil HaMishtara HaTzvayit) and a symbol was created for the new corps. The military police symbol consists of a shield and five flame tongues which, according to the creators, represent the five unbreakable truths of the military police:
- Purity of the arm
- Purity of arms
- Purity of heart
- Purity of action
- Purity of the eye
Interestingly, the military police pin, or hamatzon, has only four flame tongues, likely due to the designers not knowing about the original meaning of the symbol. A sixth flame tongue is sometimes added to specific unit insignia, symbolizing the purity of scale.
A dog trainer unit was founded in the military police and used dogs to detect explosives and injured and dead bodies. Despite its many successes, it was disbanded in 1954 due to a lack of funding. Today, a similar unit is operated by the Israel Border Police.
During the Suez Crisis of 1956, military police troops operated near the front lines, putting road signs in the Sinai Peninsula. For the first time, the issue of POWs was brought up and the military police built prisons in Nitzanim in the south, and Atlit in the north, to contain the 5500 or so prisoners or war captured during the Suez War. As a result, Israel's only military prison at the time, Prison 4, suffered neglection and it was decided to build another prison (Prison 6) near Atlit.
In the Six-Day War, military policemen were placed in every major Israeli road intersection and guided military traffic. Some MPs were integrated into combat units and fought on the front lines. Notably, a military police contingent was tasked with guarding the conquered Gaza's commercial centers, which were plundered during the war. The prison service wing was responsible for guarding Egyptian prisoners of war captured in the Sinai Peninsula.
In the Yom Kippur War, the military police greatly assisted in the chaos of the surprise attack on Israel, guiding reserve reinforcements to their intended destinations. Certain military police units fought on the front lines. The investigations department of the military police was tasked with finding Israeli MIAs, numbering about 900 at the time.
The military police was involved in various ways in Operation Peace for Galilee. It built a base in Tyre, which was bombed by terrorists on two occasions. Many MPs were killed during both bombings, which became known as the Type Catastrophe and the Type Catastrophe B.
In 2005, one of the elite military police units, Sahlav, was disbanded because its role was no longer needed in the military police, and because its troops refused to identify with the military police during Israel's unilateral disengagement from the Gaza Strip. The Sahlav Company still exists by name and guards checkpoints as part of the Taoz Battalion in the security examinations sector.
[edit] Training
In the Israeli Military Police, recruits must complete the Extended Rifleman 02 basic training, which is 6 weeks long, making it one of the easiest basic training programs in the IDF. It is however the most difficult type of basic training that is considered non-combat (See also: Tironut). Recruits must also pass a test in law enforcement (after 2-4 days worth of lessons) in order to finish basic training. Military police recruit training puts a special emphasis on discipline.
All military police recruits are trained in a base called Bahad 13 (Bsis Hadrakha 13, lit. Training Base 13), which is part of the larger Area 21 (a.k.a. Camp Mota Gur), near Netanya. Bahad 13 was originally established in Tzrifin, from where it moved to a location near Nablus in 1969, shortly after the Six-Day War. It was relocated to Camp Mota Gur in 1995.
At the end of the training, recruits swear themselves in at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, which is considered extremely prestigious in the IDF. Those who finish basic training must take a course in order to be able to take up their respective positions, which usually takes place in Bahad 13 as well.
After three of the courses, the soldier is given the rank of corporal (rabat), making military police one of the easiest corps to progress in (in terms of rank) as an enlisted soldier. Formerly, each recruit also took a 1-month course in law enforcement and received the rank of Private First Class (turai rishon) at the end, a rank which has been discontinued.
[edit] Sectors
The military police has a multitude of sectors (migzarim), which carry out the responsibilities highlighted above.
[edit] Law enforcement
The law enforcement (Shitur) sector is responsible for enforcing the discipline and proper image of soldiers, and road patrols to insure proper driving by the IDF soldiers. Road patrols may include the use of state of the art speed measurement equipment, or simply checking the driver's license and authorized use of military vehicles. Soldiers in this unit often wear a combination cap instead of the standard blue beret.
The law enforcement sector follows the principle of A Choice in Life, which says no to traffic accidents, narcotics, alcohol, suicide and improper use of weapons.
There is a special law enforcement unit called HaMahlaka LeItur UMa'atzar (abbreviated to לאו"ם, Le'om), meaning The Division for Identification and Arrest, which is responsible for catching deserters (those who left service for over 45 days).
Another special unit is the Yamlat (Yehida Meyuhedet LeFikuah Ta'avura - Special Unit for Traffic Supervision), founded in 1980, which is responsible for transferring prisoners between jails and detention centers, and various law enforcement activities.
[edit] Prison service
- See also: Israeli military prison
The prison service (Kli'a) sectors guards Israeli military prisons. It is divided into two: the service responsible for guarding prisons and detention centers with Israeli prisoners, and the service responsible for guarding Ofer prison, containing Palestinian detainees. Each of the two sub-sectors has a unique training course. The actual jailors, or jail instructors, in this branch wear a green lace, as they are considered IDF commanders for all intents and purposes.
- Jail instructors (Madrikhei Kluim or Madakim) are responsible for instructing Israeli prisoners (soldiers who committed crimes or infractions), making sure they don't escape, and rehabilitating as many as possible.
- Intelligence collectors (Rakazei Modi'in or Ramanim) are responsible for working with collaborators within jails to find out information about potential suicides, rebellions, etc. within the jails.
The prison service sector started out as the Prison Division (Hebrew: מחלקת בתי הסוהר, Mahleket Batei HaSohar) until it became a separate sector in 1974. It was originally responsible for maintaining the provisional military prison in Tel Aviv, until Prison 4 was built. Various services were introduced into the sector with time, such as education in 1977 and gahelet in the 2000s, as programs for rehabilitation.
When the military police was responsible for jails containing Palestinian detainees (until 2006), there were two additional subsectors:
- Palestinan detainees jailors (Metaplei Atzurei HaShetahim or M. Atzhashim) are mostly responsible for making sure that the prisoners do not escape.
- Force 100 (Koah 100) is a combat unit responsible for suppressing uprisings by both Israeli and Palestinian prisoners. The unit consists of less than 100 soldiers and is used only in extreme cases of violence and prison rebellions.[1]
[edit] Investigation
The Criminal Investigations Division (Mishtara Tzvait Hokeret or Metzah) is a unit in the IDF responsible for all criminal investigations inside the IDF. The unit primarily deals with the use of drugs in the army, and theft of and dealing in army weapons. Other investigations include corruption, sexual harassment and assault, suicides, killings and abuse of civilian Palestinan population, and treason. The unit also deals with traffic accidents involving military vehicles.
The investigations division has a special secret unit called Yamlam (Yehida Merkazit LeHakirot Meyuhadot, lit. Central Unit for Special Investigations), founded in 1983, which conducts high profile investigations. Some are done together with the Israel Police and the Shabak.
The investigations division was originally made up of poorly trained soldiers who relied solely on military law, which was not always realistic and up to date. They operated mainly in Tel Aviv and dealt with theft and smuggling charges. The military police command saw the importance of the investigations division and decided that only high school or higher graduates (at that time, most soldiers had not finished 12 years of high school) should be taken into the division, and their training was conducted by the much more professional Israel Police. Slowly, the investigations division became a professional sector and is now considered one of the most prestigious sectors in the Israeli Military Police.
[edit] Security Examination
Security examinators (Me'avhenim Bithoni'im or Ma'ab, a.k.a. Ma'avarim) is a sector founded in 2004, although the decision was its founding was laid down on January 13, 2003. Its soldiers check Palestinians at Israel Defense Forces checkpoints. It is currently expanding rapidly, with a new training base being built especially for it. It is considered a combat support unit with medium risk. It is considered a low-level unit within the corps, but is much more respected by other corps.
The first security examination course at Bahad 13 took place in November 2003. The course lasts four weeks plus a week of basic Arabic lessons.
The sector is divided into two battalions - Erez, which mostly monitors checkpoints around Jerusalem, and Ta'oz, which belongs to the Central Command. The Erez battalion lists three companies; Pluga Alef, Pluga Bet and Pluga Gimel. The Ta'oz battalion lists five companies: Eyal, Gilbo'a, Maccabim, Reihan, Sahlav and Shomron.
The headquarters of ma'avarim, which were built in April 2004, are located at Camp Mota Gur, near Bahad 13.
The ma'avarim shoulder insignia was unveiled in a ceremony in July 2004. The two hands on it symbolize the striving for co-existence between the two sides. The eye represents the constant watch for those who wish to harm this co-existence.
[edit] Insignia
The Israeli Military Police wears a blue beret and its symbol is a flame. On the beret, the flame is surrounded with the a banner-like curve, which says Heil HaMishtara HaTzvayit (military police force). This curve is also present on most military police shoulder symbols. The military police pin image consists of blue bricks and the letters Mem and Tzadik (Mishtara Tzvayit, i.e. Military Police).
The shoulder insignia varies based on the soldier's position, although it is always on a blue and red background (See Shoulder insignia below).
The ceremonial dress of the Israeli Military Police is a regular uniform, with a white police hat, a brassard with the letters Mem and Tzadik on the left arm, and a white belt.
This dress is also worn on duty, mostly by MPs preforming discipline patrols in public places (train and bus stations, entrances to large bases, etc.), or by MPs in jails.
Most military policemen also wear a blue and red aiguillette, although some wear a green aiguillette (indicates a commander). The aiguillette is worn over the left shoulder, and attached to the left shirt pocket.
[edit] Training
Recruits in the military police, as all IDF recruits, wear shoulder tags to indicate their platoon. There are two companies in each round of recruits - a male company (Pashatz - Plugat Shotrim Tzvai'im) and a female company (Plugat Shotrot). The males wear single-colored bands (orange, red, yellow, green, black or blue), while the females wear dual-colored bands (e.g. red and white, blue and green).
The male company's symbol is a dragon, while that of the female company is a lioness' head.
As of February 2006, the male and female recruits form just one company, although each platoon has recruits of only one sex; commanders however are of both sexes.
During professional training (course), soldiers wear dual-colored bands, depending on the course.
[edit] Shoulder insignia
Most units or major bases in the military police have their own shoulder insignia:
- Bahad 13 - a book with a sword and flame. This is worn by the personnel at the Bahad 13 base as well as all soldiers who take a professional course at Bahad 13.
- Me'avhenim Bithoni'im - an eye with two hands and a flame. This is worn by all personnel in the Me'avhenim Bithoni'im, a unit which checks Palestinians at Israeli checkpoints.
- Kli'a - the hamatzon's brick background with a book and a flame. Worn by all personnel in military jails.
- Investigations (Metzah) - an eye with weighing scales, a magnifying glass and a key. Worn by all policemen in the investigations department.
- Mekamtzar - a regular flame on a red and blue background. Worn by all personnel working in the Mekamtzar (military police command headquarters). Also worn by Yamlat soldiers.
- Northern command - the symbol of the northern command (a deer) on a red and blue background. Worn by military policemen (law enforcers) in the northern command.
- Central command - the symbol of the central command (a lion) on a red and blue background. Worn by military policemen (law enforcers) in the central command.
- Southern command - the symbol of the southern command (a fox) on a red and blue background. Worn by military policemen (law enforcers) in the southern command.
[edit] Bases
Each sector of the military police (i.e. law enforcement, investigations, etc.) has a number of bases throughout the country. The name of the base is followed by the larger base in which it is located (if any) in parentheses.
[edit] Headquarters
- Mekamtzar (Camp Tel HaShomer), Tel HaShomer
- Central Command (391) headquarters (Camp Anatot), Jerusalem
- Southern Command headquarters (Camp Nathan), Beersheba
[edit] Training
- Bahad 13 (Camp Mota Gur), Kfar Yona
[edit] Law enforcement
[edit] General Staff
- Military Police General Staff (128) (Camp Rabin), Tel Aviv
[edit] Northern command
- Military Police Golan Heights (Camp Filon), Golan Heights
- Military Police Amakim (Camp Shimshon)
- Military Police Haifa (Camp Jalame), Haifa
[edit] Central command
- Military Police Dan (Camp Yaakov Dori), Tel HaShomer
- Military Police HaSharon (Camp Mota Gur), Kfar Yona
- Military Police Jerusalem (Camp Anatot), Jerusalem
- Military Police Yoav (Camp Yoav), Qiryat Mal'akhi
[edit] Southern command
- Military Police Beersheba (Camp Nathan), Beersheba
- Military Police Eilat (Camp Yotam), near Eilat
- Military Police Urim (Home Front Command Headquarters), near Ofaqim
[edit] Yamlat
- Yamlat Tzrifin (Camp Tzrifin), Tzrifin
[edit] Investigations (Metzah)
[edit] Northern Command
- Metzah Biranit, Biranit
- Metzah Haifa, Haifa
- Metzah North
- Metzah Ramat HaGolan, Golan Heights
[edit] Central Command
- Metzah Center (Camp Tzrifin), Tzrifin
- Metzah Dan, Tzrifin
- Central Unit (Hebrew: ימ"ר מרכז, Yamar Merkaz)
- Metzah Jerusalem (Camp Anatot), Jerusalem
- Metzah Sharon VeShomron, Kfar Yona
- Metzah Yoav (Camp Yoav), Qiryat Mal'akhi
[edit] Southern Command
- Metzah Arava, Arava
- Metzah Be'er Sheva (Camp Nathan), Be'er Sheva
- Metzah South, Be'er Sheva
- Metzah Urim, near Ofaqim
[edit] Central Unit for Special Investigations
- Yamlam
[edit] Prison service
- Prison 4 - Detention Base 394 (Camp Tzrifin), Tzrifin
- Prison 6 - Detention Base 396, Atlit
[edit] Leadership
The Israeli Military Police is headed by the Kamtzar (Ktzin Mishtara Tzvayit Rashi), lit. Chief Military Police Officer. The Kamtzar and most of the other military police leadership operate in the Mekamtzar (Chief Military Police Officer Headquarters).
The Chief Military Police Officer position was established in 1950 and a rank of colonel designated to it. The first official holder of the position was Yosef Pressman. In 1974, the rank of Brigadier General was designated to the position, and then Chief MP Officer Colonel Zalman Verdi was promoted to this rank.
[edit] List of Chief Military Police Officers
- Lieutenant-Colonel Danny Magen (1948-50)
- Colonel Yosef Pressman (1950-51)
- Colonel Baruch Yitzhar (1951-54)
- Colonel Tzvi-Shimon Shfir (1954-60)
- Colonel Raphael Verdi (1960-62) - later Major-General
- Colonel Israel Karmi (1962-71)
- Brigadier General Zalman Verdi (1971-76)
- Brigadier General Benjamin Inbar (1976-1977)
- Brigadier General Baruch Arabel (1977-80)
- Brigadier General Chaim Garnit (1980-82)
- Brigadier General Meir Geva (1982-85)
- Brigadier General Amir Elimelekh (1985-89)
- Brigadier General Shalom Ben-Moshe (1989-91)
- Brigadier General Moti Birn (1991-95)
- Brigadier General Nir-Am Goldbroom (1995-98)
- Brigadier General Yoram Tzachor (1998-2002)
- Brigadier General Miki Bar'el (2002-05)
- Brigadier General Ronny Benny (2005-)
[edit] External links
- Military police website (Hebrew)
