Why does the Israeli defense force have so many female soldiers?

“When it was first formed in 1948, the Israel Defense Fund (IDF) was forced to use any and all available personnel as combat soldiers, regardless of gender. As Israel's first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion said at the time: ‘Since you rightly believe that the security of the State must be pursued night and day, I want you to know that that security will not exist if our nation’s women do not know how to fight. We are few – and our enemies are many.

If, heaven forbid, a war falls upon us, the men will go to fight the enemy, and if, heaven forbid, the women who are protecting their children at home do not know how to use a weapon – what will be their end if the enemy falls upon them?’”