Capt. Ophir Huri made history a few months ago when she was appointed the first female commander of the Israeli Navy's Snapir Unit in Haifa. Snapir is tasked with securing Israeli civilian and military ports and protecting them from threats on land as well as above and underwater. In addition to Haifa, the unit has two other independent branches in Ashdod and Eilat.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
Along with securing ports from terrorists at sea, the men and women fighters board cargo ships and examine them for any signs of terrorist activity. This is a particularly significant threat as terrorists can use the vessels to transport weapons, other terrorists, and even bombs for carrying out an attack. Should Snapir fighters fail to identify such a threat in real time, there will be nothing to stop them from entering Israeli territory and putting lives at risk. Israel's submarine platform is also located in Haifa, which adds to the strategic threat.
Huri completed her Naval Officers Course in 2018. She most recently commanded a Devora-class fast-patrol boat, where she served with dozens of male officers. Around six months ago, Huri took command of the Snapir unit in Haifa, which operates under the command of the Navy's 914th Division.
"The unit is charged with maintaining security of the northern border and ports. This means preventing the intrusion of hostile elements into the port and specific, pointed missions on the northern border," Huri explains. The Snapir Unit unit in Haifa operates as part of Party 914, which protects the northern region at sea.
"We are on standby 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and perform dedicated missions on top of Tzira [defender-class] boats," she says.
"We operate dozens of male and female fighters, 40% of whom are women. This is a boutique unit that is ready for whatever is necessary. We are always on alert … no matter the time, on holidays, on Shabbat. We're always ready to go on any mission in a matter of seconds," she said.
Asked about her historic role, Huri said: "I'm less of a believer in the glass-feeling concept. In my six years in the navy, I never sensed there was any limitation because I am a woman. From my standpoint, there is nothing unusual about it, and now the time has come to get to work and focus less on the headlines. I understand why people are focusing on it, but I have a dream that we won't need to focus on it at all – that we'll just let integration be something legitimate. I feel that ultimately, objectives were achieved. This is a position for naval officers, and there's no reason I shouldn't carry it out. I hope the day comes when it won't seem unusual and won't be a big deal," she said.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
