The war called by Israel “Swords of Iron” began with an unprecedented surprise attack by Hamas that led to the death of hundreds of Israelis and the abduction of dozens more. The Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) is following the events carefully, providing situation updates and policy recommendations for decision makers and the general public.
The Debate That Isn’t Happening: “Gideon’s Chariots” vs. the Egyptian Plan
A comprehensive comparison between the plan to conquer Gaza and the Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the establishment of an alternative administration in the Strip
Israel’s National Security Concept: Functional Incoherence and the October 7 Disaster
The October 7, 2023, attack recharged discussions surrounding Israel’s national security concept. This article claims that the national security concept consists of three interwoven layers—security doctrine, security strategy and military strategy (or operational concept in the Israeli jargon)—and that their misalignment is a prominent reason that led to Israel’s failure. Accordingly, the article attempts to present a partial answer to why the October 7 failure occurred, unlike the investigations so far, which address what happened and not why. The author argues that the renewed discussion of this issue does not distinguish clearly enough between the national security concept per se and its implementation through security decision-making. The principles of the existing national security concept were relevant enough to successfully cope with the October 7 attack, and the failure resulted from how they were applied in practice by both the political echelon and the military leadership. The article presents and analyzes the three layers of the national security concept and their misalignment in the years before October 7, 2023, and examines the corrections needed to improve decision-making processes and the functional coherence of the national security concept.
