Caracal Battalion
The 33rd "Caracal" Battalion (Hebrew: גדוד קרקל) is an infantry combat battalion of the Israel Defense Forces, one of the three fully combat units (alongside the 'Lions of Jordan Battalion' and the 'Cheetah Battalion') in the Israeli military's Paran Brigade that are composed of both male and female soldiers. It is named after the caracal, a small cat whose sexes appear the same. As of 2009, approximately 70% of the battalion was female.
| 33rd "Caracal" Battalion | |
|---|---|
Beret doffing ceremony at Masada | |
| Active | 2000–Current |
| Country | Israel |
| Branch | Ground Forces |
| Type | Infantry |
| Part of | Paran Brigade, Southern Command |
| Motto(s) | "The winning combination" |
| Colors | Light yellow with brown camouflage beret, Orange & Bordeaux Flag |
| Engagements | Al-Aqsa Intifadah; 2005 Gaza withdrawal; 2006 Israel-Lebanon War; 2023 Israel-Hamas War |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Lt. Col. Or Ben Yehuda |
The Caracal Battalion is unique among the border patrol battalions as apart from its infantry units, it includes a tank unit made from female soldiers entirely. The squad (called Pere Squad) was formed after a multiple year long pilot which tested the ability to involve women in the Armored Corps.
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