Border Police Cpl. Jeanne d'Arc Hissan, a Christian Arab from Jerusalem, is expected to break a glass ceiling when she not only becomes one of the 550 men and women to complete the 16-week combat training course but is also named the battalion's outstanding soldier.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
"She's a fighter and a pistol. You don't meet someone like her every day," senior Border Police officers said.
Hissan chose to enlist in the military despite resistance from some of her family.
"When I was 16, when all my friends received a first draft notice, I didn't," Hissan told Israel Hayom on Tuesday.
"I went to the Jerusalem conscription office and applied to enlist in the military. When they asked me where I wanted to serve, I answered 'the Border Police,' without hesitation.
"My mother's dream was to join the Border Police, but she couldn't. Two years ago she died of cancer. As far as I'm concerned, this is the fulfillment of my mom's dream. She raised us with values, love for the homeland and the country, to help others and always think positive," Hissan said.
After her mother died, Hissan's family tried to convince her not to enlist.
"I chose to follow my own path. I grew up in Jerusalem and I saw how the Border Guard troops protect everyone, no matter who they are or where they come from. They just keep Jerusalem safe. It's exciting to see them standing there on all the Christian, Muslim, and Jewish holidays. When I'd go visit my family who live in the Old City, Border Guard troops were there all the time and from a young age, it warmed my heart," she said.
Hissan says that after she was drafted, she discovered that the Border Police were "very diverse" and dealt with "a little of everything, from handling terrorist incidents to crime and public disturbances all over the Israel, Jerusalem, and Judea and Samaria."
The outstanding soldier found basic training fairly easy: "I showed up ready, mentally. The tragedy of losing my mother strengthened me emotionally … The biggest challenge was the physical one. No one prepared me for the physical difficulty, the heat, being woken up in the middle of the night, and the tough tests," she said.
As part of her training, Hissan was selected to take part in a section leaders' training course, which will pave the way for her to become an officer.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
