The IDF has for the first time published data detailing the foreign citizenships held by its service members, revealing that tens of thousands of soldiers hold at least one additional nationality beyond Israeli citizenship.
In response to a Freedom of Information request submitted in March last year by the Israeli nonprofit Hatzlacha and published on the British website Declassified, the military said 50,632 service members hold an additional foreign citizenship.
According to the data, 4,440 soldiers hold two foreign citizenships in addition to their Israeli citizenship, while 162 hold three foreign citizenships beyond their Israeli nationality.
The IDF presented the information in two columns: one listing service members with one foreign citizenship in addition to Israeli citizenship, and another listing those with at least two foreign citizenships. The military noted that some individuals may be counted in both columns.
The figures show that 12,135 soldiers hold U.S. citizenship, 6,127 hold French citizenship and 5,067 hold Russian citizenship in addition to their Israeli nationality. More than 3,000 service members hold German and Ukrainian citizenship, respectively, while more than 1,000 hold British, Romanian, Polish, Ethiopian and Canadian citizenship.
The list also includes a small number of soldiers with citizenship from Arab countries. Fourteen service members hold Yemeni citizenship in addition to Israeli citizenship and eight hold at least two foreign citizenships including Yemen. Fifteen soldiers hold Tunisian citizenship in addition to Israeli citizenship and seven hold multiple foreign citizenships including Tunisia. Four hold Lebanese citizenship, three hold Syrian citizenship and one holds Algerian citizenship, according to the data.