Militaryאמירה אל-הייב

Amira al Hayb

Amira al Hayb is the first Bedouin woman to serve as a combat soldier in the Israel Defense Forces, serving in the Border Police.

born 1985First Bedouin female IDF combat soldierService in the Border Police

Occupation: military personnel
Rank: soldier

Amira al Hayb was born in 1985 in Tuba-Zangariyye

Amira al Hayb was born in 1985 in Tuba-Zangariyye in the Upper Galilee. When she was a few months old, her family moved to Wadi al-Hamam. For several years the family lived in a tin shack, which the authorities later demolished as illegal construction, and they moved into a new permanent home.

She has five brothers. She attended primary school in Wadi al-Hamam and high school in Tuba-Zangariyye.

At 19 she decided to join the IDF. Enlisting Bedouin men was common, but for Bedouin women it was taboo, and some in the community, mainly clerics and Islamic Movement supporters, opposed her. Stones were thrown at the family home, and Nur al Hayb, a disabled IDF veteran from Eilabun, helped her enlist.

She did basic training twice because of language problems and then served in the Border Police. Her enlistment drew media attention, and she met President Moshe Katsav and Chief of Staff Shaul Mofaz. After her, more Bedouin women began to enlist.

Her brother, Taysir Hayb, was sentenced to 8 years in prison for manslaughter in the death of activist Tom Hurndall and was released after 5 years.

Amira al Hayb's life in 3 milestones

1985
Born in Tuba-Zangariyye.
2003
Sought to enlist in the IDF despite opposition in her community.
2003
Her brother's unit shot activist Tom Hurndall in Rafah; her brother was later convicted of manslaughter.

Amira al Hayb served in the military

She trained as a combat infantry soldier after doing basic training twice and served in the Border Police, the first Bedouin woman in an IDF combat role.