The Military Secretary at the Junction of Israel’s Security Decisions

The prime minister’s military secretary is an officer with the rank of major general whose official role is to serve as a liaison between the prime minister and the IDF and other security agencies. In practice, his duties are more extensive, and thus his position is one of the most influential ones in the decision making process on security issues in Israel. Nevertheless, the military secretary does not have formal responsibility in the realm of national security, nor does he have a professional staff at his disposal. On certain issues, there is even overlap and a lack of clarity in the division of powers between him and the National Security Staff. In addition, the fact that the military secretary is a major general in the IDF who is subordinate to the prime minister and not to the chief of staff is not self-evident in the structure of government in Israel. This article will analyze the responsibilities of the military secretary, examine differences of opinion regarding the military secretary’s realms of activity and his rank, and present recommendations for resolving outstanding issues relevant to the position. It is proposed that the military secretary’s activities be limited to the formal description of the position, that the interfaces with the NSS be defined, and that a civilian with extensive security experience be appointed to the position and called the security secretary to the prime minister.