Publications

During Israel’s ongoing war, the Arab peace states—especially Egypt, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates—have expressed deep mistrust, frustration, and even bewilderment over Israel’s conduct. These sentiments have recently intensified and appear to have reached a peak. While these countries acknowledge Israel’s military achievements and recognize that they could have a positive impact on the Middle East, they are also profoundly disturbed by what they perceive as Israel’s rigid, one-dimensional militaristic approach—namely, the...

Under the leadership of Xi Jinping, China has promoted a series of global initiatives—the first of which was the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), followed in recent years by the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI), and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI). These initiatives, alongside the concept of a “community with a shared future for mankind,” are part of a broader strategy to reshape China’s international environment and advance a Chinese vision for the global order. For Israel, it is...

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) published two alarming reports regarding Iran’s nuclear program. One report addresses Iran’s past activities at sites not declared to the IAEA, for which Tehran has failed to provide satisfactory explanations. The second report concerns the current status of the program and indicates an acceleration in the accumulation of highly enriched uranium, enabling Iran to enrich to military grade for 10 nuclear bombs within days. Both reports are expected to be discussed at the upcoming IAEA Board...

This policy paper outlines the recommended strategy for ending the war in the Gaza Strip while fully achieving its objectives and improving Israel’s long-term strategic posture. The majority of the principles and proposed course of action presented in this document align with the Egyptian–Arab proposal for ending the war, which was presented in April 2025 and has not been discussed by the Israeli government. It is proposed that the principles of this plan serve as a basis for negotiations  As part of these negotiations, the following...

In his book The Hi-Tech Army and the Cavalry Army: How Israel Abandoned the Ground Forces (Hebrew, 2024), written mostly before the war in Gaza, Brig. Gen. (res.) Guy Hazut sharply criticizes the steadily declining importance and chronic neglect of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) ground forces over recent decades. He critiques the division of the IDF into an elite “hi-tech army,” relying on the air force, precision-guided munitions, and special forces, on the one hand, and, on the other, the supposedly outdated “cavalry army”—the...

The domestic American, regional, and global reality is currently undergoing dramatic changes. Will Israeli–US relations remain immune to these upheavals and their diverse consequences? Will the relations continue as they have (subject to circumstantial adjustments)? Will Israel’s value as an asset outweigh the burden it may pose for the United States? In answering these questions, the significant erosion in the pillars of the “special relationship”—the shared ethos and mutual interests, as well as cracks in the bridge connecting the...

Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, the Institute for National Security Studies has been regularly conducting public opinion surveys to assess attitudes toward key national security issues, national resilience, and public trust.[1] Click here to download the complete survey data |  To the survey results in Arabic - نتائج الاستطلاع باللغة العربية | Click here to view the trends among the Jewish public  | Click here to view the trends among the Arab public Trust in Persons and Institutions Key Findings: 75.5%...

In May, the IDF launched Operation “Gideon’s Chariots,” aimed at achieving the war’s objectives in the Gaza Strip: securing the return of the hostages and dismantling Hamas both militarily and politically. The full scope of the “Gideon’s Chariots” operational plan remains unclear, and contradictions have emerged between statements made by military officials and political leaders. It is also uncertain whether there is genuine intent to carry out all phases of the operation; some of the announcements may be...

The major developments that have unfolded in the region since the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip—and especially in recent months—require a renewed examination of the relevance of the concept of the “Shiite Axis” led by Iran. Over the past two decades, Tehran has worked to shape a network of regional actors—mainly sub-state entities—based on a shared ideology of resistance to Israel and the West, aiming to expand its influence and create strategic depth. While in the past, this “axis” was considered a centralized and...

The cloud market in the Middle East is emerging as a battleground in the global struggle for technological influence, where the United States and China are competing for control over digital infrastructure, the setting of technological standards, and the shaping of the rules that will govern the flow of information and data. China’s technological expansion in the region may gradually pose increasing challenges for Israel—necessitating the development of a strategic and technological policy to safeguard Israeli interests amid evolving...