36 | MARCH 18 • 2021 

ERETZ

ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES

Shayetet 13 troops training in 2017.

Israeli Military Says It’s Reached 
Herd Immunity to COVID-19

The Israeli military declared that it has reached herd immunity 
to COVID-19 after 80% of its personnel had either been vacci-
nated, had the disease or both.
The announcement makes the Israel Defense Forces perhaps 
the first military in the world to achieve immunity to the disease.
“Things look a lot more like they did a year ago,
” Brig. Gen. 
Dr. Alon Glasberg, the IDF’s chief medical officer, told reporters 
March 11, according to the Times of Israel. “It seemed impossi-
ble, but now it’s here.
”
While herd immunity will allow the military to resume nor-
mal operations, soldiers will still have to wear masks and socially 
distance for now.
The military’s vaccination campaign comes amid Israel’s 
record-setting drive to immunize its population. As of March 
10, more than 4 million Israelis, nearly half the country and the 
majority of its adults, have been fully vaccinated. 

BEN SALES JTA

Israel Aerospace Industries, 
UAE Weapons Company to 
Develop Anti-Drone System

JNS.ORG

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) announced on Thursday that 
it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the United 
Arab Emirates’ weapons-maker EDGE to develop an advanced 
anti-drone defense system.
The anti-drone system would be “tailored to the UAE market,
” 
with wide-ranging benefits to the Middle East and North Africa 
region and beyond, the state-owned IAI said in a statement.
Israel and the UAE officially normalized relations on Sept. 15 as 
part of the Abraham Accords.
The system would include technology such as jamming and 
cyber-takeover capabilities, in addition to guns, missiles, and elec-
tromagnetic and laser devices able to destroy a drone.
The Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen has been launch-
ing missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia. A drone carry-
ing explosives and a ballistic missile was launched on March 8 by 
the Houthis at Saudi Arabian oil facilities, according to officials.
The UAE is allied with the Saudis and had taken part in the 
Saudi-led military coalition intervention in Yemen. 

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