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Perspectives Papers

Perspectives Papers provide analysis from BESA Center research associates and other outside experts on the most important issues pertaining to Israel and the Middle East.

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How Israeli Intelligence Misunderstood Gender-Based Violence as a Strategic Tool on October 7

The Israeli intelligence system failed to understand the significance of the gender-based violence committed by Hamas on Israeli citizens during the October 7 attack. Raw information was not converted into meaningful insights that could have aided in strategic and operational decision-making. The failure stemmed in part from a lack of information, but also from an inability to analyze the information that was available, identify patterns, and prevent errors arising from cognitive bias and methodological obstacles. Hamas used gender-based violence as a deliberate strategy intended to cause severe harm to Israeli civilians, undermine Israelis’ sense of social security, and sow terror within Israeli society. Israeli intelligence failed to identify Hamas’s intentions prior to the attack and subsequently failed to deal effectively with the denials of Hamas and its supporters in the international system.

India Redefines Its National Security Vis-à-Vis Pakistan

In May 2025, following a deadly terrorist attack on Pahalgam in Kashmir, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, conducted strikes deep within Pakistani territory, and declared that any future terrorist attack would henceforth be considered an act of war. These measures reflect a doctrinal shift from a policy of deterrence to one of “compellence”, or coercion. India has also unveiled unprecedented upgrades to its military capabilities that are part of a comprehensive organizational reform. India is positioning itself as a global military and technological power that is operating under a sovereign and independent strategy. This shift in India’s doctrinal approach reflects a continuation of its response to Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. According to Indian nationalists, Israel’s response to Hamas’s massive assault served as inspiration for an uncompromising policy towards Islamic terrorism.

The Gaza Terror Offensive
12 April – 18 May 2025

Gaza: Negotiations have continued since the last update with no result. Hamas is still refusing to relinquish its hold on Gaza and demanding that a ceasefire include its continued governance, the total withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the rebuilding of Gaza at the expense of the international community. Israel is demanding the return of all the remaining kidnappees, both alive (currently estimated at 23) and dead (currently estimated at 35), the removal of Hamas from Gaza, and the complete demilitarization of the area. The Israelis offered a partial agreement that Hamas refused. In a gesture to President Trump, Hamas released a kidnappee who has dual American and Israeli citizenship. On 18 May, after several weeks of gradually taking more ground and intensifying aerial operations against Hamas and other terrorist personnel, especially commanders, in areas where its ground forces were not operating, Israel declared the beginning of a new escalated ground operation. Five divisions are now simultaneously attacking different localities in Gaza. The official objective is to capture most if not all the territory of Gaza.

IMEC – A Corridor for Peace and Regional Stability

In September 2023, the IMEC initiative was announced. IMEC is an economic corridor that will connect India, the Middle East and Europe, with the support of the United States. This initiative has the potential to change the face of global trade and transportation. The corridor is expected to strengthen economic, transportation and energy ties among the countries and serve as a digital bridge between continents. IMEC offers Israel a strategic opportunity to position itself as a transit hub between Asia and Europe and strengthen its regional ties – but the initiative faces geopolitical challenges that require strategic planning and smart regional cooperation.

Hamas, Not Israel, Is Legally Responsible for Civilian Harm in Gaza

It is the obligation of every state to enforce the law of nations. This means there is a universal legal responsibility to support Israel’s ongoing counter-terrorism operations in the Middle East. Though it may appear that these operations sometimes break humanitarian international law, it is the jihadists’ use of human shields and location of military facilities within schools and hospitals that is responsible for the resulting harm to civilians. These actions, which constitute a violation of international law called “perfidy”, threaten not only Israel but the global legal order itself.

Greece Is Keen to Expand Ties with Israel

On March 30, 2025, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met with President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. Fifteen years after the historic visit to the Israeli capital by then-premier George Papandreou, which paved the way for the ongoing Greek-Israeli friendship, the two countries are continuing to advance their strategic partnership. The necessity for closer ties with the Jewish State has become a critical element of Greek foreign and military policy, and there is political consensus on the value of the relationship. New defense synergies that will likely complement older agreements are currently on the agenda.

The Complex Dynamics of Turkey’s “Savior” Image

Turkey's involvement in Syria is having an effect on its regional standing, and is shaping an image of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a Muslim savior. Turkey is exploiting the instability in Syria to achieve its own strategic objectives, which primarily include a curbing of the Kurdish threat, an expansion of Ankara’s regional influence, and a positioning of Turkey as a protective Muslim power.

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