Duvdevan Unit

Duvdevan Unit, formally designated Unit 217, is an undercover special operations and counter-terrorism formation of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Its name comes from the Hebrew word for “cherry.” The unit is part of the IDF’s Oz, or 89th, Commando Brigade, a formation dedicated to special operations. It is particularly associated with mista'aravim methods: operating covertly in Arab-populated environments, often using civilian clothing and concealment to approach suspects, gather intelligence, conduct arrests, and carry out other missions in densely populated areas. The IDF established Unit 217 in June 1986 in response to security challenges in the West Bank, with an emphasis on operations in crowded civilian settings where conventional military tactics could be difficult to apply. Its mission has historically combined undercover movement, intelligence-led raids, counter-terrorism, and the apprehension of wanted individuals. The unit’s public profile remains limited because many of its activities are classified, and open-source accounts provide only a partial view of its organization, deployments, equipment, and command structure. Duvdevan operators receive basic training through the Paratroopers Brigade and subsequently serve within the commando framework. In organizational terms, the unit is comparable in some respects to the Yamas undercover units of the Israel Border Police, although the two belong to different institutions. Following its integration into the Commando Brigade, the unit’s operational remit expanded beyond the narrower circumstances associated with its original establishment. The unit received public recognition for operations during the 2015–2016 wave of violence. According to the IDF account summarized in the unit’s Wikipedia entry, Duvdevan personnel participated in arrests connected with the killings of Eitam and Na'ama Henkin, Hafna Meir, and Rabbi Ya'akov Littman and his son. The unit received an Israeli Chief of Staff citation for its work during this period. These operations illustrate the unit’s role in intelligence-supported arrests and investigations rather than conventional battlefield combat alone. Duvdevan has also attracted controversy. A 2022 documentary, Who Killed Shireen?, reported an allegation that a Duvdevan member killed Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh while she was reporting for Al Jazeera in Jenin. The allegation concerns a highly disputed incident and should not be treated as an established finding without qualification. The unit’s secrecy, its operations in occupied and politically contested areas, and the use of undercover personnel have made it a frequent subject of debate concerning accountability, proportionality, civilian protection, and the legal status of covert military activity. In popular culture, Duvdevan helped inspire the fictional Israeli undercover unit depicted in the Netflix television series Fauda. The series was co-created by Lior Raz and Avi Issacharoff, and Raz previously served in Duvdevan. The fictional portrayal has increased international awareness of the unit, although the program is not a documentary and should not be used as a direct account of Duvdevan’s actual organization or operations.

Unit 217, commonly known as Duvdevan, was established by the Israel Defense Forces in June 1986. Its creation reflected the operational difficulty of responding to security incidents in densely populated areas of the West Bank, where conventional forces could face significant limitations in identifying suspects, approaching targets, and conducting arrests without extensive disruption. The unit was designed for undercover work and adopted methods associated with mista'aravim formations, whose personnel may blend into Arab-populated environments through civilian clothing, disguise, and covert movement. From its establishment, Duvdevan’s role centered on intelligence-supported counter-terrorism and the detention of wanted individuals. Rather than functioning primarily as a conventional infantry formation, it combined intelligence collection, surveillance, infiltration, close-quarters tactics, and arrest operations. Because many missions are classified, the publicly documented history of the unit is incomplete. Available accounts generally describe a force intended to operate where overt military activity would be less effective or could make the identification and apprehension of suspects more difficult. Duvdevan’s institutional position developed over time. Its personnel undertake basic training through the Paratroopers Brigade, while the unit itself belongs to the IDF’s Oz, or 89th, Commando Brigade. The brigade was created as a dedicated special operations framework, and Duvdevan’s incorporation into it was associated with an expansion of the unit’s operational activity. In broad functional terms, the unit has been compared with the Yamas undercover units of the Israel Border Police, although Duvdevan is an IDF formation rather than a Border Police unit. The unit received particular public attention for its activity during the 2015–2016 wave of violence. According to the IDF account cited in the unit’s Wikipedia article, Duvdevan took part in arrests associated with the killings of Eitam and Na'ama Henkin, Hafna Meir, and Rabbi Ya'akov Littman and his son. The unit received a Chief of Staff citation for its work during this period. These episodes reinforced its public image as a force used for targeted, intelligence-led arrests following attacks, especially in areas where covert access and rapid identification of suspects were considered operationally important. Duvdevan has also been connected with wider debates over Israel’s use of undercover military units in Palestinian territories. Critics have questioned the risks of operating in civilian clothing, the possibility of mistaken identity, the treatment of detainees, and the accountability mechanisms applicable to covert operations. In 2022, the documentary Who Killed Shireen? reported an allegation that a Duvdevan member was responsible for the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh during her reporting in Jenin. The allegation is controversial and is not presented here as an adjudicated conclusion. The unit’s reputation has extended beyond official military accounts. Fauda, a fictional Netflix series created by Lior Raz and Avi Issacharoff, portrays an Israeli undercover unit modeled in part on this operational world. Raz formerly served in Duvdevan, while Issacharoff contributed journalistic and regional knowledge to the series. The program brought the concept of Israeli undercover counter-terrorism units to a global audience, but its dramatic narrative should be distinguished from the limited and often classified historical record of Unit 217.

• 2022

  Allegation linked to the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh

  [1]Duvdevan Uniten.wikipedia.org

  A documentary reports an allegation involving a Duvdevan member and the killing of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in Jenin; the allegation remains disputed.

• 2016

  Chief of Staff citation

  [1]Duvdevan Uniten.wikipedia.org

  Duvdevan receives an Israeli Chief of Staff citation for its work during the 2015–2016 violence wave.

• 2015

  Operations during a new wave of violence

  [1]Duvdevan Uniten.wikipedia.org

  The unit participates in intelligence-led arrests connected with several high-profile killings during the 2015–2016 violence wave.

• 1986

  Unit 217 is established

  [1]Duvdevan Uniten.wikipedia.org

  The IDF establishes Unit 217 in June to address security incidents in densely populated areas of the West Bank.

An elite, intelligence-led military unit specializing in undercover counter-terrorism, clandestine urban operations, and arrests in complex civilian environments.

• 2022

  Allegation concerning the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh

  The documentary Who Killed Shireen? reported that a member of Duvdevan killed Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh while she was reporting for Al Jazeera in Jenin. The claim is politically and factually contested and is recorded as an allegation rather than an established determination.

  Source

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• 2015Operations during the 2015–2016 violence wave

  West Bank

  Duvdevan participated in arrests linked by the IDF account to the killings of Eitam and Na'ama Henkin, Hafna Meir, and Rabbi Ya'akov Littman and his son. The activity reflected the unit's role in covert, intelligence-led counter-terrorism and apprehension missions.

  Outcome. The unit received a Chief of Staff citation for its work during this period.

  Source

• Integration into the Oz Commando BrigadeStrategy

  Background

  Duvdevan was placed within the IDF's Oz, or 89th, Commando Brigade, a formation dedicated to special operations.

  Action taken

  The unit continued its undercover counter-terrorism role within the broader commando structure, with its operational activity expanding after joining the brigade.

  Aftermath

  The integration reinforced Duvdevan's status as one of the IDF's specialist special operations units.

  Source

1. 1Duvdevan Uniten.wikipedia.org