SpecWarNet, a Website dedicated to military Special Forces Units around the world, provided the following information on Sayeret Golani:

Sayeret Golani was created in 1951. It was originally named Machleket Siyur Meyuchedet, or Special Reconnaissance Platoon; a part of the 1st Golani Infantry Brigade. Since its creation, the members of the Golani's brigade reconnaisance element have proven themselves to be an effective force with many capabilities beyond the simple reconnaissance role. They have operated all over Israel and even beyond; in Beirut, Lebanon, Syria, and even Uganda.

Sayeret Golani has had a bloody but illustrious history. The unit assaulted and took Mt. Hernon's strategically located peak in a fierce battle during the Six Days War. In the beginning of the Yom Kippur War the elite Syrian 82nd Paratroop Regiment seized the mountain top from the small contingent of Israeli defenders. Sayeret Golani was tasked to retake the strategic location.

2000 hours on October 21, 1973. Sayeret Golani members begin scaling the steep cliffs at the base of Mt. Hernon. Six hours later, at 0200 the next day, they reached the top and the fighting began. By 0730 a firebase had been secured near the cable car to the top of the mountain. By this time the Golani fighters were using RPGs and rifle fired grenades liberated from dead Syrian defenders to augment their attack, causing many of the defending Syrians to flee or surrender. At 1100 hours, the Israeli and Golani brigade flags were raised to the top of the base's listening post antennae. The nine hour battle had killed 55 Golani members and wounded 79 others. Captain Vinnik (posthumously advanced to the rank of Major), leader of the Sayeret, was also killed. Even though mortally wounded in the beginning stages of the battle, he had continued to direct his commandos until he had finally been carried down the mountain in a stretcher.

Sayeret Golani uses grueling selection process that can end at any time--washouts are sent to the regular units to serve out their committments. Upon completion of the Gibush (selection phase), potential commandos are trained in a vast array of necessary skills.

Training is said to last about a year and 8 months.

The curriculum includes a broad array of new techniques to learn and master. Skills such as parachuting, demolitions, escape and evasion, survival, and intelligence work are covered.

The soldiers of Sayeret Golani are expected to be proficient with all of the weapons used in their area of operation. Due to the nature of their operations, they also have their own urban warfare training center, known as hell town.

Members who pass all the tests and training are rewarded with the badge of the Sayeret, a small metal pin with a flying tiger as the emblem. Dating back to the beginning of the Sayeret, this is their symbol and where they get their unofficial name, Ha'Namer Ha'Me'ufaf, the Flying Tiger.

According to a senior researcher and specialist on the Israeli military at the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies, Tel Aviv University, Sayeret Golani is a forward patrol unit that is not specifically trained for counter-terrorism, but that has, on various occasions, been used for such a purpose (16 Nov. 1999). Members of this élite unit are volunteers and persons who are conscientious objectors would never go to this unit.

According to an AP report, Golani and Givati troops "form the brunt of Israel's front-line force in south Lebanon" (19 May 1999). Ma'ariv, an Israeli newspaper, stated that the Golani Brigade base, called Bazaq, had been relocated because it was part of the Palestinian National Authority's territories (16 Oct. 1998). The newspaper also indicated that the Golani Brigade was part of the Northern Command (ibid.). On 31 December 1997, "60 seasoned soldiers of the élite Golani Brigade mutinied ...during training prior to deployment in south Lebanon" (Jane's Defence Weekly 21 Jan. 1998). Quoting the then Defence Minister, The Jerusalem Report indicated that the Golani Brigade "has become the IDF's most popular combat group, with a record number of recruit volunteers in the past year" (15 Jan. 1998). This information was also reported by IsraelWire (30 Nov. 1998). As reported in Middle East News Items, "for the first time in Israel Defense Forces history, a female has been appointed as field platoon commanding officer. Danielle Der'ee, 23, is supervising the headquarters platoon of a Golani Brigade unit. Der'ee commands over 200 soldiers and is a rifle range instructor and night march leader" (18 Dec. 1997).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Associated Press (AP). 19 May 1999. Laurie Copans. "Israeli Group Wants Out of Lebanon." (NEXIS)

IsraelWire. 30 November 1998. "Requests to Serve in Golani Brigade Continue to Increase." http://www.israelwire.com/new/981130/98113027.html [Accessed on 16 Nov. 1999]

Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. 16 November 1999. Telephone interview with senior researcher.

Jane's Defence Weekly. 21 January 1998. Ed Blanche. "Talks with UN Advance Withdrawal Plans." (NEXIS)

The Jerusalem Post. 15 January 1998. Batscheva Tsur. "Center Proposed in Menachem Begin's Memory." (NEXIS)

Ma'ariv [Tel Aviv, in Hebrew]. 16 October 1998. "Israeli Army Moves Two West Bank Drill Camp to Disputed Area." (BBC Summary 19 Oct. 1998/NEXIS)

Middle East News Items. 18 December 1997. "Two Female Cadets Enter Fighter Pilot Division." (NEXIS)

SpecWarNet. N.D. "Israel's Sayeret Golani." http://www.blarg.net/~whitet/sg.htm [Accessed on 10 Nov. 1999]