Publications

Since the Swords of Iron war outbreak, the Institute for National Security Studies regularly conducts public opinion surveys[1] to examine national resilience and public trust trends.  ________________________ [1] The latest Swords of Iron survey was conducted between June 03–13, 2024, by the Data Analytics Desk at the Institute for National Security Studies. The fieldwork was carried out by the Rafi Smith Institute. A total of 1200 men and women were interviewed online and by phone, of which 1000 were interviewed in Hebrew...

Recently, the public discourse has been heavily focused on the possibility of a comprehensive war with Hezbollah. This article focuses on the severe damages expected in such a war to Israel’s civilian home front and its functional continuity, and consequently to the resilience of Israeli society and its ability to recover from the war. The analysis puts forward the need to carefully consider the risks posed by such a war to the civilian sphere, especially as long as the war in the Gaza Strip continues.

The rise in the number of homicide victims in Arab society since the current government was inaugurated in early 2023 continues unabated. The number of people murdered in the first half of 2024—more than 100—is similar to the same period last year and is double the number during the first six months of 2022. The impression is that the entire issue of crime in Arab society is absent from the agenda of both the government and law-enforcement bodies, as well as from media coverage and the public discourse. Crime organizations have large...

In the seven months since the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip, it is evident that Israeli society has not yet recovered from the collective trauma of the horrific events of October 7. The Hamas massacre significantly undermined the resilience of Israeli society. In addition, the lackluster state of the war in Gaza, the fate of the hostages and the campaign being waged by their families, the challenging conditions facing people evacuated from their homes in southern and northern Israel, the incessant conflict with Hezbollah, and...

Since the Swords of Iron war outbreak, the Institute for National Security Studies regularly conducts public opinion surveys[1] to examine national resilience and public trust trends.  ________________________ [1] The latest Swords of Iron survey was conducted between May 16–19, 2024, by the Data Analytics Desk at the Institute for National Security Studies. The fieldwork was carried out by the Rafi Smith Institute. A total of 800 men and women were interviewed online and by phone, of which 600 were interviewed in Hebrew and...

Since the Swords of Iron war outbreak, the Institute for National Security Studies regularly conducts public opinion surveys[1] to examine national resilience and public trust trends. ________________________ [1] The latest Swords of Iron survey was conducted between April 11-14, 2024 under the leadership of the data collection and analysis desk at the Institute for National Security Studies. The fieldwork was carried out by the "Rafi Smith" Institute during which 600 men and women were interviewed online and by phone in the...

In the seven months since the Hamas attack on October 7, the onset of the war in the Gaza Strip, and increased security tension on several fronts, stable relations between Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel have been maintained, including in the mixed towns and cities. Despite fears voiced by some in the political and security establishment that the war could ignite widespread clashes between Jews and Arabs, it has not happened—even during the traditionally tense month of Ramadan and the Eid al-Fitr holiday. Most Arab citizens of...

Political disputes and polarization have, of late, returned to the forefront of the public and media discourse in Israel. While one could view this trend as seemingly signaling a return to some kind of normalcy, which is a positive aspect during wartime, it also poses significant challenges to the resilience of Israeli society. A polarizing discourse harms social solidarity, undermines trust in state bodies and the decision-making process, and casts doubts regarding the motives of civil-society organizations. Considering this,...

Resilience is the ability of any system to successfully manage a serious disruption, limit the damage and functional setbacks, bounce back quickly, move forward, and achieve improved functionality. The tragic events of October 7 and the resulting two-front war certainly constitute a serious disruption that is testing the resilience of Israeli society in general, and of the communities evacuated from their homes in the western Negev and the northern border in particular. The evacuations, although deemed necessary for security,...