Geopolitical Strategy

Col. (res.) Shay Shabtai outlines the strengths of the Israel National Cyber ​​Directorate's recently published update of the country’s cyber security strategy.

The overall message is a call for Israel to refocus on building national resilience and societal strength, with clear execution, legislative reforms, and strategic foresight guiding the country into its next phase.

For Israel, IMEC represents a unique opportunity to position itself as a critical transit hub between Asia and Europe. Benefits include expanded trade routes, investment in port and rail infrastructure (particularly the Valley Railway and Haifa port), stronger ties with Gulf states, and leadership in green energy technologies like hydrogen and solar power.

Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR is moving forward with an offshore gas exploration project in Israeli waters, highlighting the deepening strategic and economic ties between Israel and Azerbaijan.

The interplay between Turkish ambitions and Israeli security concerns raises the risk of direct confrontation, especially as Turkey’s vision threatens Israel’s alliances with Kurdish groups and its border stability.

Dr. Dany Shoham urges the international community to act swiftly to locate, expose, and eliminate the remnants of Syria’s biological weapons infrastructure, treating it with the same urgency once applied to its chemical weapons.

Bar-Ilan University professor Zeev (Vladimir) Khanin and Capt. (res.) Alexander Grinberg's analysis emphasizes that Azerbaijan’s strategic value aligns with U.S. President Trump’s foreign policy goals, particularly in countering Iran and restructuring alliances in the Greater Middle East.

Col. (res.) Shay Shabtai's opinion piece critiques the rigidity of the IDF's current intelligence assessment process, arguing that it limits analysts' ability to recognize shifts in adversary behavior, increasing the risk of inaccurate forecasts.

While Greece took a balanced stance at the UN, it deepened its strategic partnership with Israel through arms deals, energy agreements, and increased trade.

Dr. Raphael Buchnik-Chen's analysis explores Hezbollah’s shifting strategic calculations following significant military and political setbacks.

Israel, together with key countries around the world and in the Middle East and led by the United States, is debating the policy it should adopt toward countries or regions in its vicinity where there is no proper governance.

Greenland, which is under Danish sovereignty, is vital to American interests given the military presence of Russia and China and the nearby shipping lanes.

The collapse of the Assad regime has brought renewed focus on Syria's chemical and biological weapons (CBW) program, creating an opportunity for the international community to dismantle it.

This opinion piece by Brig. Gen. Eran Ortal critiques Prof. Yagil Levy's claim, published in Haaretz, that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in Gaza have failed to uphold their self-proclaimed moral standards.

While recent successful strikes have weakened Hezbollah’s leadership and disrupted missile launches, Israel’s cautious advance—targeting infrastructure rather than direct confrontation—leaves Hezbollah’s ground units in a position to recover and potentially retaliate.

With Yahya Sinwar gone, Hamas faces a crossroads: to pursue a settlement that could bring peace to Gaza, or to continue the conflict, serving Iranian interests at the expense of Palestinian lives.

Experts insist that Israel’s actions in Gaza are primarily driven by security concerns related to Hamas, rather than resource acquisition. The spread of the Gaza oil myth illustrates the challenges of combating misinformation, especially when endorsed by credible institutions like the UN.

Dr. Alon Levkowitz discusses how the upcoming 2024 U.S. presidential election will significantly impact Asia, influencing U.S. military presence, regional power dynamics, and Asian economies.

Prof. Eitan Shamir discusses the widespread criticism that Israel lacks a clear plan for what to do after the Iron Swords War, particularly in terms of translating military gains into long-term political outcomes.

Professor Eytan Gilboa and Lilac Sigan critique the journalistic integrity of The New York Times in its coverage of the Israel-Hamas war, arguing that the publication has made numerous serious errors, often at Israel's expense.

Dr. Raphael Buchnik-Chen critiques the Western powers' limited military response to the Houthis, who are backed by Iran, and highlights the group's ability to block key shipping lanes, notably the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and inflict damage on Israel’s economy and security.

Prof. Louis René Beres explores the importance of a clear nuclear doctrine, the risks of remaining ambiguous, and the necessity for Israel to communicate its nuclear deterrence strategy in a way that Iran and its allies understand.

Brig. Gen. (res.) Eran Ortal calls for a shift in Israeli military thinking towards a more comprehensive strategy that prioritizes dismantling Hezbollah as a combatant force, warning that reliance on special operations and intelligence may hinder long-term victory.

Recent protests in Bangladesh, sparked by economic decisions, have created political instability with significant implications for India’s regional influence.

While Russia is likely to provide some political and limited military support to Iran, it will not extend to full-scale involvement, particularly in a potential Iran-Israel conflict.

In this opinion piece, Dr. Elai Rettig discusses the strategic and economic implications of Gaza's energy dependency on Israel, which has shifted from a perceived advantage to a burden.

In this opinion piece, Dr. Nahshon Perez explores the complexities of managing contested sacred sites—locations of deep religious significance to multiple groups that often lead to disputes and violence.

Dr. Zalman Shoval emphasizes the importance of maintaining Israel's independence in defense while leveraging US support to address existential threats, particularly from Iran.

Brig. Gen. (res.) Eran Ortal states that Israel should move away from a purely defensive strategy and return to a more balanced approach that includes proactive, offensive actions to neutralize threats before they escalate.

Brig. Gen. (res.) Eran Ortal stresses the urgency of a strategic shift and significant resource allocation to ensure Israel's long-term security against Iran and its proxies.

The Chabahar Port Agreement signifies a strategic and economic boon for India, facilitating faster and cheaper trade routes and energy security, and bolstering its geopolitical influence.

A summary of the BESA Center's Post-Soviet Conflicts Research Program analysis on recent South Caucasus developments and their geopolitical impact on Israel and France.

The ongoing regional cooperation, including the regional gas forum's activities, underscores the importance of maintaining and deepening strategic relations, especially amidst tensions from the Gaza conflict.

The continuing conflict between Israel and Hamas sees little change as Hamas continues to reject Israel's terms for ending the war in Gaza.

The detailed analysis by Dr. Eado Hecht outlines a complex situation involving Israel, Iran, and Hamas, along with other regional actors, reflecting an intensification of military and geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East.

In this Perspective Paper, Dr. George N. Tzogopoulos analyzes the evolving maritime dimension of the Israel-Hamas conflict and the broader regional response in the Red Sea, notably through EU's Operation ASPIDES.

In his analysis, Prof. Louis René Beres discusses the legal and moral considerations surrounding Israel's targeted killing of Hamas commander Marwan Issa. Beres argues that this action was a legitimate measure of self-defense under international law.

In this Perspective Paper, Col. (Res.) Shai Shabtai, discusses the evolving concept of victory in Israeli national security. Shabtai outlines four levels of victory: tactical, operational, strategic, and grand strategic, each involving different goals and outcomes in the military context.

In this analysis by Prof. Jonathan Rynhold and Dr. Toby Greene, the authors discuss the pressing need for Israel to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza to restore and maintain international legitimacy for its military actions against Hamas.