Tel Aviv, Feb. 3 -- Israel Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir signed a landmark order Tuesday establishing formal guidelines for integrating Orthodox (Haredi) Jews into military service, marking the first time such arrangements have been codified in an official General Staff order.

Integrating Haredi Jews into military life is one of Israel's most politically sensitive issues, as the army faces manpower shortages.

The comprehensive directive, which took nearly 18 months to develop, creates three distinct service tracks for Haredi soldiers, offering different levels of religious accommodation and gender separation.

The "David" track represents the strictest option, currently limited to the Hasmonean Brigade. All personnel...