200px, This Israeli paratrooper also wears a ''mitznefet'' helmet cover The ''mitznefet'' () is a

helmet cover A helmet cover is a fabric covering that fits over a combat helmet. It provides camouflage, protection, and accessory management. It helps conceal the helmet by matching the surrounding environment, reduces glare, protects the helmet from wear ...

ing used by the

Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and ...

since 1994. It is considerably larger than the helmet worn by infantry soldiers. The main purpose of the covering is to break up what would otherwise be the distinctive outline of a helmeted human head, while also preventing light from reflecting off the wearer's helmet for a tactical advantage, making it easier to camouflage when necessary. In the Hebrew language, the covering shares the same name as the

priestly turban The priestly turban or mitre () was the head covering worn by the High Priest of Israel when he served in the Tabernacle and the Temple in Jerusalem. Etymology The Hebrew term for the priestly turban has been translated as "mitre" ( KJV) or " ...

, which was worn by the

High Priest of Israel In Judaism, the High Priest of Israel (, lit. ‘great priest’; Aramaic: ''Kahana Rabba'') was the head of the Israelite priesthood. He played a unique role in the worship conducted in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple in Jerusalem, ...

in the

Temple of Jerusalem The Temple in Jerusalem, or alternatively the Holy Temple (; , ), refers to the two religious structures that served as the central places of worship for Israelites and Jews on the modern-day Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. Accord ...

during the

Second Temple period The Second Temple period or post-exilic period in Jewish history denotes the approximately 600 years (516 BCE – 70 CE) during which the Second Temple stood in the city of Jerusalem. It began with the return to Zion and subsequent reconstructio ...

. The name originates from a

Semitic root The roots of verbs and most nouns in the Semitic languages are characterized as a sequence of consonants or " radicals" (hence the term consonantal root). Such abstract consonantal roots are used in the formation of actual words by adding the vowel ...

meaning ''to wrap''.

History

The ''mitznefet'' was originally adopted by the Israeli military in the 1990s to provide tactical advantages to Israeli troops fighting Lebanese guerrillas in the South Lebanon conflict. It was later configured to have a two-sided camouflage material, with one side adapted for desert environments and the other for woodland terrain. In 2015, it was reported that the coverings would be supplied to the

Armed Forces of Ukraine The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) are the Military, military forces of Ukraine. All military and security forces, including the Armed Forces, are under the command of the president of Ukraine and subject to oversight by a permanent Verkhovna Rad ...

Design

The covering is easily removable, and can be attached to the helmet while folded. Additionally, the bulk of the covering can be pulled down to shade and protect any side of the wearer's head from direct sunlight exposure. It is made up of a reversible mesh fabric, with one side having woodland camo paint and the other side with a brown desert paint. In 2013, the manufacturer Agilite announced a new version with

MultiCam MultiCam is a Military camouflage, camouflage pattern designed for use in a wide range of environments and conditions which was developed and is produced by American company Crye Precision. The pattern has found extensive adoption globally. Var ...

References

External links

* Military equipment of Israel Camouflage systems Headgear Military equipment introduced in the 1990s Self-decoration camouflage {{Israel-mil-stub