Israeli ZAKA volunteers at the scene of a stabbing attack in Hebron. The Israel Defense Forces announced that it will distribute 850 new neck guards to Israeli soldiers stationed at checkpoints. Photo: Courtesy ZAKA.

JNS.org – Israeli soldiers who are stationed at checkpoints will receive neck protectors as a safeguard against terrorist stabbing attacks, the Times of Israel reported.

The Israel Defense Forces announced that it will distribute 850 new neck guards that are designed specifically to protect soldiers serving in areas such as Hebron, Gush Etzion Junction, Hawara, and Tapuach Junction, according to Lt. Col. Liron Segel, who runs the IDF Technological and Logistics Directorate’s Personal Protection and Equipment Department.

The IDF’s Central Command requested the new equipment from the directorate in November due to the threat of stabbings during the current Palestinian terror wave, said Segel, who explained that the neck guards will “strike a balance between the amount of area protected and [the] comfort of the soldier.”

The equipment is designed to fit underneath protective vests.

“On the one hand, we put an emphasis on materials that are very durable in order to protect against a penetrating wound, while on the other hand we worried about comfort,” said Segel. “We have managed to make a product that is flexible, thin, and even its weight on your neck is not comparatively that heavy.”