On May 31st 1948, 65 years ago, the Israel Defense Forces was born.

Message from the IDF:

May 31st, 1948: On this day, 65 years ago, Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, founded the Israel Defense Forces. It hasn’t always been easy, but over the past six and a half decades, we IDF soldiers have never wavered: looking danger in the eyes, confronting fear with bravery, and making the impossible possible. We do not take our responsibility lightly. We have the sole duty of protecting the existence of the State of Israel, and we promise to pass this sense of duty and devotion on to future generations of soldiers.
Happy Birthday, IDF