The
Paratroopers Brigade (חטיבת הצנחנים,
Hativat HaTzanhanim) is a unit of paratroopers within the
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) it's part of central command. It has a history of carrying out special forces-style missions dating back to the 1950s. It is currently involved primarily in counter terror operations within the West Bank.
The goals in creating the Paratroopers Brigade were:
- To have an elite infantry force.
- To innovate and improve fighting skills within other infantry units.
- To raise the next generation of military commanders and officers.
The first commander of the Paratroopers Brigade was Ariel Sharon.
The Paratroopers Brigade has had only one operational combat parachute drop, during the 1956 Sinai War. In the Six Day War (1967) the Paratroopers Brigade took part in the capturing of Jerusalem together with the Jerusalem Brigade, Harel Brigade and armor support. The Paratroopers were the ones to capture the Western Wall and the Temple Mount - a moment that is considered as "historic" and the "highlight of this war" by the majority of the Israeli public, mainly due to the sacredness of these places to the Jewish people.
