7 Facts About Israel Defense Forces

1. In March 2009, India and Israel Defense Forces signed a US$1.4 billion deal under which Israel would sell India an advanced air-defense system.

2. In October 2012, United States and Israel Defense Forces began their biggest joint air and missile defense exercise, known as Austere Challenge 12, involving around 3,500 US troops in the region along with 1,000 IDF personnel.

3. In 2009, Israel Defense Forces received $2.55 billion in Foreign Military Financing grants from the Department of Defense.

4. In 1983, the United States and Israel Defense Forces established a Joint Political Military Group, which convenes twice a year.

5. In 2012, Israel Defense Forces spent $15.2 billion on its armed forces, one of the highest ratios of defense spending to GDP among developed countries.

6. The major language spoken by Deaf in Israel Defense Forces is Shassi–a Germanosign language related to German Sign Language and not Hebrew or any oral language–, though Israel and Palestine are home to numerous sign languages spoken by various populations like Bedouins' ABSL.

7. In 1965, the Israel Defense Forces was awarded the Israel Prize for its contribution to education.