Israel’s Arutz Sheva brings word that a group of female IDF officers and NCOS (non-commissioned officers, for the rookie crossword-puzzlers among us) have submitted a letter to their personnel director, seeking a wider range of manicure options. Specifically, they want to be exempted from the IDF’s restrictive nail polish policy, which they argue should apply only to women during their mandatory service.
Current orders allow female soldiers to paint their nails with light pink polish, transparent or “pearl white” polish, or in the style known as “French,” which constitutes a white stripe at the end of the nail.
The petitioners want complete freedom of color.
Initially, nail polish was only allowed for those women, like the petitioners, serving in the IDF’s standing army, and polish was not permitted during mandatory service. In 2012, however, the ban was lifted and all female soldiers were allowed varnished nails, provided they stayed within the proper palette.
With the situation heating up across the border in Syria, it’s possible their request may take some time to get sorted out. Until then, it’s French manicures all around.