For years, the Arab Gulf states have invested heavily in procuring a wide range of advanced weapons systems. However, recent confrontations with Iran and its proxies highlight the difficulty of translating this investment into an independent, sustained operational capability. The gap stems from personnel constraints, organizational fragmentation, partial interoperability, and dependence on external capabilities and support—as well as the fact that defense procurement serves other objectives, including political, status-related, and...
This policy paper examines the severe decline in Israel’s international standing and emphasizes that international legitimacy is not merely a matter of image, but a crucial strategic asset. The study rejects the simplistic view that “the whole world is against us” and that Israel’s conduct therefore does not matter, proposing instead to distinguish between a hostile core, ideological critics, audiences that are not hostile to Israel but have grown distant from it, and supporters. The document calls for...
Israel’s national security concept is at a turning point that demands clarification. Since October 7, 2023, it has become evident that Israel’s security policy is, in practice, guided by a new security concept rather than the unwritten security doctrine that took shape over decades. (Despite its flaws, the earlier concept helped Israel become a prosperous regional power. Had it been properly implemented, it might have prevented the colossal failure of October 7, but that is for a state commission of inquiry to determine.) This...
Recent public opinion polls conducted among the Palestinian public indicate a significant weakening of the “resistance is winning” narrative and reflect a profound conceptual shift. This shift moves the center of gravity from supporting Hamas’s strategy of resistance toward a pragmatic approach that is acutely aware of its costs.
This process of disillusionment is evident in the unprecedented drop in support for “armed struggle” as an effective means of achieving national goals, alongside a surge in...
A comparative analysis of Israel’s situation on the eve of October 7 and after three years of war – what has changed in its national strength, conflict arenas, and the national security balance.
While global attention has been focused in recent months on Hormuz, the battle over the Arabian Peninsula’s second chokepoint, Bab al-Mandab, is rapidly escalating. The intensifying war in Yemen and the heightened Houthi threat to shipping in the Red Sea no longer constitute a separate arena, but rather another front in the regional war with Iran. Saudi Arabia finds itself in an hour of crisis and extraordinary strategic predicament: Hormuz is disrupted to the east, the East-West pipeline has been damaged, the Houthis are attacking...
Three years after the outbreak of the "Swords of Iron" War, the updated public opinion survey findings from the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) reflect a complex public perception: alongside skepticism regarding the overall strategic outcome, there is a profound trust gap between the operational and political echelons, accompanied by a cross-partisan demand for truth and accountability. Limited Perception of Victory and Division on the Security Balance
The perception of victory among the Israeli public remains...
Despite its modest size and a population estimated at just three million, in recent years Armenia has become a focal point of interest for major global players. This interest stems first and foremost from Armenia’s geographic location, situated at one of the critical meeting points between Asia and Europe. Another reason is the dramatic pivot in Armenian foreign policy—the shift from exclusive reliance on Russia toward a pro-Western orientation, alongside the normalization of its relations with neighboring countries. Armenian...
The victory of Dr. Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s 2026 Senate primary has been widely viewed as evidence that the Democratic Party is shifting sharply leftward on Israel. This report evaluates that claim by classifying all 259 Democratic incumbents in Congress, along with viable Democratic candidates for safe and contested seats in the upcoming November elections, into three factions. Classification drew on three sets of indicators, including each member’s stance on military aid to Israel, rhetoric used to describe Israel,...
