How Dangerous Is the Crisis Within the IAF?

The ongoing turmoil in Israel has led to a crisis in the IAF that has affected the military readiness of the IDF at large. The degree to which the IDF is affected by the problems of the IAF depends on the nature and location of prospective confrontations. Whereas in the West Bank, the IDF does not rely on the IAF, the air force is obviously critical to the success of such missions as bombings in Syria – or in Iran, should Israel decide to strike the regime’s nuclear sites. And if war were to break out with Hezbollah while the IAF remains in crisis, the IDF would have to depend much more than it would otherwise on ground forces such as artillery, infantry, and armor.

Has the Democratic Party’s Alliance with US Muslims Ruptured Over the LGBTQ Agenda?

The 9/11 attacks that sparked the rise of Islamophobia in America attracted many American Muslims to the Democratic Party, which expressed solidarity with their battle against anti-Muslim bias. However, the support of the Democrats for LGBTQ and other progressive trends over the last decade has challenged that alliance, with many Muslims refusing to align with concepts that explicitly contradict basic Islamic values. Are the latest clashes over the LGBTQ agenda a sign of cracks in the alliance, or possibly even a rupture?

China’s Soft Power Projection Strategy: Confucius Institutes in the MENA Region

China has become a major player in the MENA region, and its soft power projection strategy plays a key role. Confucius Institutes are a highly visible manifestation of this strategy, and they have been welcomed by many in the region and beyond. However, there are concerns about their lack of transparency and potential to be used for propaganda purposes. While these concerns have caused Western governments and institutions to close several Confucius Institutes down, their numbers continue to grow in the MENA region.

Why Israel Approved Development of the Gaza Marine Gas Field

In June 2023, Israel quietly approved the development of Gaza Marine, a small offshore gas field near Gaza that will benefit both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas in terms of revenue and energy independence. Why was the deal approved by the most right-wing Israeli government to date, and how does this relate to the Lebanon maritime border deal from October 2022?

The Russian-Speaking Jewish Diaspora and the War in Ukraine

The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 prompted political discourse among the Russian-speaking Jewish diaspora around the world. Ukrainian Jewry is almost unanimous in its support of the country’s leadership. In Belarus, Jewish organizations have distanced themselves from the subject of the war while individual Jews try to maintain calm. In Russia, a minority of Jews actively opposes the regime’s war policy, another small minority openly supports it, but the largest number of Jews are “psychologically alienated” from the issue. In Israel, Russian and Ukrainian Jewish immigrants appear largely willing to put personal differences aside as they forge a new identity as Israelis.

The Shift in Technological Innovation from the Defense Sector to the Civilian Sector

Nir Reuven
July 4, 2023
Paper No. 2205

During most of the 20th century, the defense sector was the undeniable leader of technological innovation, with technology developed in defense labs often trickling into the civilian world. In the 1990s, however, due to a dramatic decrease in defense budgets and the streaming of funds to commercial applications led by startup companies and internet giants, the flow of innovation reversed direction. The defense sector has accordingly adopted an “Open Innovation” approach to exploit new technologies developed by the civilian sector.

Lost Between Recognition and Rejection: Tunisia’s Relations with Israel

Tunisia’s relationship with its historic Jewish community and the Jewish state has been marked by sporadic progress and unfortunate setbacks. There has been a Jewish presence in Tunisia since before the Roman Empire; there remains one there today, and Tunisia is proud of this part of its history. Other Western-aligned moderate Muslim states like Egypt, Morocco, and the UAE have normalized relations with Israel. Others, like Saudi Arabia, have had longstanding not-so-secret relationships with Israel. Yet Tunisia lacks either, and is signaling that this will remain the case for the foreseeable future.

The Cyber Domain in the Russo-Ukrainian War

Dr. Eyal Pinko
June 22, 2023
Paper No. 2203

Cyber attacks have been carried out by both sides in the Ukraine-Russia war to neutralize national infrastructures, banking systems, and government ministries; influence decision-makers, citizens, and soldiers; and gather intelligence. Cyber played no real role in disabling national capabilities or infrastructure, but has had psychological and cognitive effects. The first year of the war sharpened the need to build and upgrade information security measures, especially around critical national infrastructure; strengthen real-time information-gathering capabilities from social networks; strengthen awareness; and maintain information security.

The BDS Campaign Against Israel “De-Localizes” the Palestinian Cause, Focuses on Global Surveillance

BDS supporters have shifted to a new strategy, a “de-localizing” of the Palestinian cause via attacks on Israel’s cybersecurity industry. Their aim is to universalize an image of Israel as a facilitator of global rights abuses. This approach does not require adherents to support the Palestinian cause to gain momentum. In the face of regional geopolitical turmoil, Israel should develop an offensive disruptive response to undo the reputational damage caused by this aggressive form of information warfare.

The Secret of Erdoğan’s Success

Despite Turkey’s serious economic issues, massive inflation, and currency decline, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was elected to a third term as president, bringing his total tenure in office to 25 years. Erdoğan narrowly defeated opposition candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in the second round on May 28. Numerous factors explain Erdoğan’s success, including repressing the opposition, instilling fear, and dispersing economic benefits despite the challenging economic climate. Erdoğan’s personality is also a factor, as are social processes in Turkey. Still, none of these elements will be powerful enough to keep him in power if economic reserves continue to diminish.

Perspectives Papers