Integrating Women into the Compulsory Military Service: Policy Lessons from Israel for Taiwan

Integrating Women into the Compulsory Military Service: Policy Lessons from Israel for Taiwan

Amid escalating tensions between Beijing and Taipei, heightened by the fourth Taiwan Strait Crisis triggered by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan in August 2022, President Tsai Ing-wen announced significant military reforms in December 2022. As tensions continue to rise across the Strait and amid intensifying U.S.-China competition, President Lai Ching-te’s administration appears committed to the same trajectory, aiming to strengthen Taiwan’s defense capabilities against potential Chinese aggression. These developments have prompted widespread analysis of whether these reforms adequately address Taiwan’s security needs. In this discourse, Israel, a small democratic nation with an advanced economy, serious security threats, and strong reliance on U.S. support, has emerged as a central point of comparison. Importantly, Taiwan's military realignment has revived debate over the inclusion of women in compulsory military service. Israel, long known for conscripting women into its armed forces, offers a relevant case for examination. Against this backdrop, the paper seeks to reevaluate whether Taiwan should implement compulsory service for women and assess the relevance of the Israeli model in shaping that debate. In doing so, it explores the complex interplay of geopolitical tensions, national defense strategies, and gender inclusion within Taiwan's evolving security landscape.