Since October 7, a lively debate has been underway in professional circles regarding the need to update or revise Israel’s national security strategy. As is well known to those engaged in the field, Israel does not have, and has never had, a national security strategy in the full sense of the term—one that is written, approved by the political leadership, and made public. In practice, the term “security strategy” is used in Israel as a tool that those who invoke it define as they see fit and employ for their own purposes. Yet in the...
Artificial intelligence is not only altering the processing capabilities of computers, but also creating a new economy based on the token as the central unit of measurement for model usage, the demand for computing power, and the economic cost of operating them. The token reflects the scope of inference work—the processing performed by the model in real time—and therefore serves as a direct metric for the consumption of computing resources, including graphics processing units (GPUs), data centers, and energy. In this sense, the token...
Saudi Arabia seeks to adhere to its détente with Iran while taking a more resolute stance against the Islamic Republic’s proxies. While maintaining channels of dialogue with Tehran, in recent weeks Riyadh has demonstrated a willingness to employ military force against the Houthis in Yemen and pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, and has even launched a regional security initiative to protect maritime shipping routes in the Red Sea. However, historical experience suggests that Saudi military assertiveness, which the Kingdom has sought to...
The Lebanese leadership’s historic decision to engage in direct talks with Israel and sign the framework agreement in June has sparked extensive internal debate in Lebanon. One facet of this debate has focused on the legal implications of the move, given Lebanese legislation prohibiting contact between Israeli and Lebanese citizens and imposing severe penalties on those who violate the law. For the time being, the Lebanese leadership has refrained from pushing to amend the legislation. Instead, in response to accusations of...
Reactions in Iran to the security agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan reflect a cautious and complex approach regarding its implications. At this stage, most commentators do not view the agreement as a cohesive anti-Iranian military alliance or an “Islamic NATO” capable of shifting the regional balance of power. These commentators emphasize the gaps between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, as well as the ambiguity surrounding their military commitments. However, others identify the agreement as an...
The events that have erupted in the wake of October 7 have underscored the need to distinguish between legitimate criticism of Israel and antisemitism. This article reviews four main definitions: the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition, the most widely accepted in the Western world, which includes examples of the use of double standards and dual loyalty; Natan Sharansky’s 3D model, which emphasizes Delegitimization, Double Standards, and Demonization; the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism, which...
U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the Board of Peace had reached what he described as a “historic agreement” on the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in the Gaza Strip. The U.S. administration is now working to implement the agreement in order to offset the sense of failure vis-à-vis Iran and revive the 20-point plan. For its part, Hamas is displaying tactical flexibility in response to Israeli military pressure (the IDF has expanded its control westward from the “Yellow Line” to the “Orange Line”) and has...
The war between the United States and Iran presented China with a complex strategic challenge: maintaining its relations with Iran, the Gulf states, and the United States all at once, while safeguarding its economic and energy interests in the region. Despite possessing the economic tools to exert significant influence, Beijing chose to limit its response primarily to the diplomatic arena and refrained from using the leverage at its disposal. This article argues that Beijing’s conduct should not be viewed as passivity, but...
The Russian Orthodox Church in Israel is commonly viewed as a religious institution whose purpose is to serve the many Orthodox pilgrims who visit the country each year. However, beyond its role as a community of believers, the church constitutes a significant political actor in Russia’s efforts to expand its influence in Israel in particular and the Middle East in general. In practice, the Russian Orthodox Church, through its institutions and representatives, serves as a governing arm of the Putinist regime in Israel. As the issue...
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran has operated under varying degrees of international sanctions, with the most significant measures targeting its energy sector and financial system in response to its nuclear program. Over the past four decades, Iran has not only adapted to these constraints but has systematically institutionalized sanctions evasion as a central pillar of its economic survival strategy. In recent years, Iran and Hezbollah have increasingly turned to cryptocurrencies as a way to bypass U.S. sanctions. The...
The nuclear agreement signed between the United States and Saudi Arabia marks a turning point in American nuclear policy and carries broad implications for the regional security architecture. After years in which Washington conditioned any nuclear cooperation on forgoing fuel-cycle capabilities, it is now adopting a more flexible approach that seeks to manage proliferation risks rather than prevent them entirely. In doing so, the agreement creates a significant precedent and raises questions regarding the future of the Nuclear...
The upcoming elections in Israel, to be held on October 27, are not perceived in Egypt and Jordan as a purely internal Israeli affair. Rather, they are depicted in mainstream media in both countries as a strategic junction that could impact their direct interests, the future of the Palestinian issue, and the broader regional landscape. At the same time, an analysis of the public discourse in both countries reveals an ambivalence. On the one hand, many commentators make no secret of their hope that Israel’s current government...
