It is emphasized that military service has become an intimate part of the culture and that the demise of this rite of passage must be considered in terms of its societal impact. On the other hand there are also signs that new immigrants to the county are less enthusiastic or concerned about compulsory military service; therefore there may be change within the society with regard to the perceived social importance of this rite of passage -- which in turn would augur well for a move to a more professional and independent defense force. Another related and important factor is that the structural relationship between the society and the military is changing. In the modern international, political and military environment there is less need for semi-skilled and skilled input from the civilian sections of the society. As the military becomes more specialized in response to new and more sophisticated defense threats, so their dependence and reliance on the civilian sector diminishes.

However, there are still critics who fear that the movement towards professionalism will reduce the positive nation building potential that the defense force has provides in the history of the country. This view is countered by the view that there is a growing need for a smaller and more professional army to meet the challenges of the modern world. This is also related to the concept of 'military role contraction' which refers, for example, to the reduced role of the military in land resettlement. The 'contraction' of the military away from previous roles in the society is an important...

This relationship has resulted in advantageous partnership between the military and civil society. At the same time this reciprocal relationship has also had the negative consequence of impinging on the aspect of military autonomy. This is evident in the fact that military decisions are often affected by public opinion and views, when domestic controversy has been mirrored in the IDF. The article points out that these problems can be avoided by a more distant and professional army.
The study concludes that there are increasing signs of a movement in Israel towards a more professional military ethos. This can be seen in manpower movement and distribution that is indicative of a change from the "people's army 'to a more conventional and professional military establishment. The factors that are highlighted as causative are budget constraints and new political and operational necessities.

Another factor that the author stresses is that change in the ethos and structure of the military is related to a less sympathetic domestic environment. All of these aspects combine to suggest that the Israel defense force is evolving a new persona. It has also to be borne in mind that the fact that the military is distancing itself in some respects from its previous nation building role will have future implications for the society as a whole.