The Israel Defence Forces will revoke a long-standing policy and allow HIV-positive Israelis to enlist in non-combat roles in the army, it announced on Wednesday.

“Medical advancement in the past few years has made it possible for them to serve in the army without risking themselves or their surroundings,” Colonel Moshe Pinkert, head of the IDF’s medical services department, wrote in a statement.

The Israel Aids Task Force praised the policy change.

“This process is a significant step towards shattering stereotypes about people with HIV,” said Yuval Livnat, CEO of the organization. “I’m happy that the IDF understands that HIV-positive people can contribute in their military service just like anyone else.”