is IDF slang indicating that only males are fit to fire weapons. It's intended to assuage fears that “youth army motivation” is on the serious decline.
If you are Arab in Israel you are automatically exempted from serving in the army. Think of it as a trust issue. Zionists don't want Arab-Israeli citizens hitch-hiking along the country with M16s, civil equality or no civil equality.
This is a reminder of the 2nd rate status of Arab citizens in Israel. It is in fact hinting at the eventual and complete revocation of such citizenship in the first place: if the state is Jewish then Arabs cannot join the army, and cannot shoot guns, therefore they can never be or become “real Israelis”. Simple really, if totally undemocratic!!!
maybe the government should subsidize counseling for soldiers even while they are at camp to help them deal with the violence and depression that war causes. subsidized prozac or antidepressant can also help i think.