Articles

During the October 7^th attacks, the home front became the front line with Israelis attacked in their own homes. This new reality led not only to a beefed-up presence of police and military forces in public spaces, but to civilian-based security initiatives in many communities. Finding the right balance between the police and civilians is imperative to providing much-needed safety and security for all Israelis.

Fact Sheet: The Basic Law: The Nation-State

This article discusses the responsibilities of the international community with respect to the ongoing war in Gaza, and particularly focusing on responsibilities with regard to the hostage situation. 

Among Jewish Israelis, 75% on the Left support making progress toward a two-state solution to the conflict in return for American assistance, compared to 45% in the Center and only 21% on the Right.

In recent weeks, since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, some 800 new civilian defense squads have been set up throughout Israel. Each squad consists of local residents who serve as civilian operational reserve forces, available for rapid deployment to assist national security forces during security events and emergency situations.

Attempts by the Prime Minister to influence the Chief Censor may indicate a concerning erosion of the Military Censor’s independence and professionalism. Clearly, state secrets must be protected, especially during war, but there are better ways for this to be accomplished, more suited to a democratic state.

When asked if these goals are important, 93% of Jewish Israelis and 66% of Arab Israelis say the goal of releasing hostages is an important goal. 90% of Jewish Israelis and 61% of Arab Israelis say the same of the goal of “restoring deterrence.”

Yohanan Plesner, president of IDI, spoke with BBC News' Ben Brown as wide-scale protests erupted in Israel following the harrowing murder of six Israeli hostages by

Yohanan Plesner, President of IDI on PBS Newshour: "In 2014, there was an attempt by Hamas to launch the exact same thing... just that time, they failed."

Israeli leaders are calling for the end of disinformation in the war while shaking hands with the man behind so much of it - Elon Musk. The current war has turned X into a human behavior experiment, and we are the lab rats. 

The Nation-State Law includes a clause that declares the state's obligation to care for all Jewish people and all Israeli citizens whenever they are in jeopardy due to either their Jewish identity or Israeli citizenship. This does not impose a legal obligation, but it does reflect this special value which must not be lost during this war. 

IDI's fifth War in Gaza survey finds that among Jewish Israelis, toppling Hamas and releasing the hostages are pivotal war-goals. The majority of respondents do not think that the government currently has a clear action for the day after the fighting ends, and there is rising support (56%) for an amendment to the Nation-State Law, to safeguard equality for non-Jewish citizens. 

Israel's non-Jewish minorities—particularly those who are fighting and dying for the State of Israel—are worthy of appreciation and recognition, not separately, but as equals. The solution is to amend the Nation State Law, not to pass a new, separate basic law as is currently under consideration.

Appeals to the HCJ to intervene in decisions relating to the release of prisoners are fairly common, but the Court has repeatedly rejected these appeals, noting that on issues of national defense and diplomacy, the bounds for judicial oversight are particularly narrow. 

Tendentious interpretations of international law are not surprising considering the high emotions surrounding the long and bloody Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, to serve its purpose guiding the conduct of States and retain a high degree of legitimacy, international law must serve as a common legal language. 

Conciliation between Jews and Arabs in Israel is not just a moral imperative, but also a necessary condition for maintaining peace and stability in the country.

Now, when it is clear that Hamas’s murderous attack was unprecedented in its extreme violence, including sexual violence, the relevant international bodies—such as the UN Security Council, UN Women, and the International Red Cross—must respond to these incidents.

The Israeli war cabinet and the complex institutional structure related to war informs greatly on Israel’s decision-making.

The political mainstream in Arab society identifies with the Palestinian cause, namely the struggle for a two-state solution and peace between Israel and the Palestinians. The vast majority of Arab citizens strongly criticizes Hamas’ practices and completely rejects Hamas’ militant approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

From network hacking to disinformation, Israel is unprepared for combat in today's fourth dimension of warfare.

The divide between Israel's Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) public and the Haredi establishment and political leadership has never been more striking. Many parts of Haredi society have joined the national war efforts while the Haredi political leadership have acted as if nothing has happened. 

A majority of the Jewish public think the government's focus on the judicial overhaul had a critical impact on the timing of Hamas' Oct. 7th attack. Support for negotiations for the release of the hostages in Gaza has risen, but most think the fighting should not stop. 

The heads of the established traditional Haredi yeshivot have instructed their institutions to continue studies as normal during the current state of emergency, in accordance with the belief in the power of Torah study to protect the people of Israel. By contrast, the messages heard from various other rabbis reflect an understanding of changing needs and offer a blueprint for a new leadership vision.

The paradigm of reliance on technology for our security seems to have led us to a point in which infinite data points and technological tools are at our disposal failed to produce a response. It is of course essential to continue investing in technological superiority, but this needs to be done with a clearer head.

The ongoing war highlights the transformation of technology giants, once American-based corporations, into international entities. Within the Western aid package to Israel, it is imperative to enforce global accountability upon these companies

On November 5, 2023, Minister of Justice Yariv Levin notified the High Court of Justice that he will convene the Judicial Selection Committee within 15 days. Selecting judges is not possible in such a short time frame, so we will have to wait and see whether this decision leads to the completion of judge appointments to the vacant positions.

Israel's new firearms regulations now allow hundreds of thousands of citizens to carry handguns, without the necessary checks or oversight. They have been passed too rapidly during the current emergency, without enough thought about the dangerous consequences of dramatically expanding eligibility for a handgun license.

The ongoing war poses unprecedented challenges—military, civilian, geopolitical, and economic. Our focus is on providing necessary responses to the needs of the military, the needs of those directly affected in combat areas, mitigating the financial damage to businesses and employees, and rebuilding the communities destroyed on October 7.

The October 2023 edition of the Israeli Voice Index shows that a significant majority of Jewish Israelis trust the heads of the IDF over PM Netanyahu. If elections were to be held today, a majority of Israelis (55%) would vote for the same bloc they voted for in the last elections.

The government of Israel must recognize the strategic importance of agriculture, the food sector, and other industries producing goods that are vital for the country’s security and for the continued functioning of the business sector during times of emergency and war