Institute for National Security Studies

Institute for National Security Studies (Israel) is a think tank which was launched in October 2006, incorporating the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University.

Background

The Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) describes itself as 'an independent academic institute that studies key issues relating to Israel's national security and Middle East affairs'. It claims to be 'independent', 'non-partisan' and 'autonomous' in its research and expressed opinions, yet describes how its researchers come from not only academic and public policy backgrounds but also from military and government backgrounds. It also advertises a 'strong association with the political and military establishment'.

The INSS advertises that it 'is able to contribute to the public debate and governmental deliberation of leading strategic issues and offer policy analysis and recommendations to decision makers and public leaders, policy analysts, and theoreticians, both in Israel and abroad'. It describes as its areas of focus as: defense, security doctrine, politics, domestic trends and social processes.

In 2009, Foreign Policy listed the Institute as 3rd in the top 5 Think Tanks in the Middle East and North Africa

History

The Institute for National Security Studies was extablished in 2006 and is an external institute of Tel Aviv University. According to it's website, it has 'a strong academic affiliation with the university' whilst 'maintaining financial and organization independence'. Its 'general budget' is described as being based on money from the INSS endowment, with matching funds coming from Israel's Council for Higher Education along with other outside contributions.

The institute was established through the incorporation of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University: which the Institute describes as an independent academic institute founded in 1977 by Major General (res.) Aharon Yariv (for­mer head of Military Intelligence, government minister and member of Knesset) as a 'pioneer' of Israel which defined strategic studies and established defense and national security as research fields.

People

Board of Directors

In 2009, the Board of Directors is listed as:

Frank Lowy - Chairman | Dan Meridor - Vice Chairman | Professor Itamar Rabinovich - Deputy Chairman | Alfred Akirov | Zeev Feldman | Ambassador Martin Indyk | Peter Lowy | Professor Raanan Rein | Professor Manuel Trajtenberg

Board of Trustees

In 2009, The Board of Trustees is listed as:

Lord David Alliance | David Avital | Gilbert Baker | Alan Batkin | Stanley Chais | Arnold Chavkin | Sir Trevor Chinn | Sir Ronald Cohen | Bertram Cohn | Stewart Colton | Lester Crown | Jeffrey Glassman | Dov Gottesman | Martin Green | Martin Gross | Joseph Hackmey | Michael Perlman | Hermann Reich | Marcia Riklis | Israel Roizman | Michael Sonnenfeldt | Michel Steinberger | Jeffrey Stern | Guillermo Strauss | Eduardo Wurzmann | Martin Whitman | Gordon Zacks | Mortimer Zuckerman

Experts

In 2009, The Institute for National Security Studies listes their experts as follows:

Oded Eran became director of the INSS in July 2008. This followed a 'long career in Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other government positions'. He also now serves as an advisor to the Knesset Subcommittee on Foreign Affairs. Eran formerly served the World Jewish Congress (he was the Representative in Israel and Secretary General of the Israel Branch). He also previously served as Israel's ambassador to the European Union, which also covered NATO (2002-07). Other positions held included as Israel's ambassador to Jordan (1997-2000), head of Israel's negotiations team with the Palestinians (1999-2000), deputy director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the deputy chief of the Israeli embassy in Washington.

Ephraim Asculai - Senior Research Fellow joined the INSS in 1992 when it was the Jaffee Center. He previously worked for over 40 years with the Israel Atomic Energy Commission (IAEC), worked for the IAEA in Vienna and was the Scientific Secretary of the International Chernobyl Project during 1990 to 1991. During the 1990's he undertook a sabbatical at the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) in Washington, D.C.

Roni Bart - Research associate with the INSS previously served with the IDF where he was colonel and chief-of-staff of an armored reserve division.

Yehuda Ben Meir - Principal Research Fellow and Director of the INSS's National Security and Public Opinion Project. Ben Meir's involvement with the INSS began in its Jaffee Center days in 1984. He has previously served as deputy minister of foreign affairs in the Begin and Shamir governments, whilst as a member of the Knesset between 1971 to 1984.

Shlomo Brom - senior research associate originally joined the Jaffee Center in 1998 after what his bio describes as 'a long career in the IDF' (He was director of the Strategic Planning Division in the Planning Branch of the General Staff). His bio describes that he 'participated in peace negotiations with the Palestinians, Jordan, and Syria, and in Middle Eastern regional security talks during the 1990s' and 'continued to be involved in Track 2 dialogues on these subjects after his retirement from the IDF'. He became deputy to the National Security Advisor in 2000 and was a member of the Meridor committee established by the Minister of Defense (in 2005-06) where he reexamined the security strategy and doctrine of the State of Israel.

Uzi Eilam - Senior Research Fellow who joined the Jaffee Center in 2002. He previously served as Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Defense Mission to Europe a post that his bio describes as 'the last in a long career in the service of the IDF, the office of the prime minister, and the MOD. His previous duties included undertaking military R&D at IDF headquarters. Eilam has also served as Director General of the Israeli Atomic Energy Commission

Giora Eiland - Senior Research Fellow. Eiland also has a long career in the IDF where he served as a Maj. Gen. He spent time serving Israel's National Security Advisor ('where he worked closely with the prime minister's office on major security and foreign affairs issues, including the disengagement and other aspects to Israeli-Palestinian relations, the Iranian nuclear threat, threats from Syria and Lebanon, terrorism, and relations with the US and key European states'). His service with the IDF also saw him undertake 'several command positions in the elite Paratroops Division'.

Meir Elran - Senior Research Fellow and Director of the INSS's Israeli Society and National Security Program. Elran joined the Jaffee Center in 2003. He too is described as having served 'a long career in the IDF' where he was a Brig. Gen. with the Military Intelligence directorate (He served as Deputy Director of Military Intelligence between 1987-1989. He was also Assistant Director of the Research Division for Evaluation and Deputy Commander of the IDF's National Defense College). Elran also served as senior advisor to several Israeli ministries, including the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Internal Security, and the Israeli National Security Council. This was undertaken in the capacity of a private strategic consultant where he concentrated on social issues relating to national security.

Shmuel Even - Senior Research Fellow. He too has served a long career in the IDF when he was Colonel with the Intelligence Branch, He has also served as a strategic and economic consultant to government offices and leading private companies in Israel and is currently (2009) CEO of Multi Concept (Consultants) Ltd.

David Friedman Senior Research Fellow. Friedman is another expert with a long history with the IDF (almost 25 years). He served as a colonel and was involved with the Israel Ministry of Defence's R&D (Research and Development) into 'chemical / biological defense', what we would commonly call chemical and biological warfare. He retired from this post in 1994 and went on to serve as Special Assistant for Bio/Chem Defense in the office of the Assistant Minister of Defense.

Shlomo Gazit - Adjunct Senior Research Fellow. Following 33 years of service in the IDF, Gazit joined the Jaffe Center in 1988. He served as Coordinator of Israeli Government Operations in the Administered Territories following the Six Day War and became head of IDF Military Intelligence following the Yom Kippur War.

Hirsh Goodman - senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University. Founder of the Jerusalem Report (in 1990), previously vice-president of the Jerusalem Post (1999 - 2001), correspondent for the Sunday Times of London and contributing editor to US News & World Report and a contributor to The New Republic.

Mark A Heller - Principal Research Associate. He first joined the Jaffee Center in 1979. Previously editor of INSS Insight and Tel Aviv Notes, Heller has also been Coordinator of Research at the Canadian Institute for International Peace and Security (in 1991), was visiting Professor of Government at Harvard University (in 1992) and was Research Associate at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (in 1999).

Ephraim Kam - Principal Research Fellow and Deputy Director, he joined the Jaffee Center in 1993. Kam previously served as colonel in the Research Division of the IDF's Military Intelligence (until 1993), where he served as assistant director of the Research Division for Evaluation and senior instructor at the IDF's National Defense College.

Yoram Schweitzer - Senior Research Fellow and Director for the INSS's Program on Terrorism and Low Intensity Conflict. Schweitzer is described as having 'a distinguished career in the Israeli intelligence community' and serves as a private consultant for government ministries. He has served as Head of the Counter International Terror Section in the IDF, been a consultant on counter-terror strategies to the prime minister's office and the Ministry of Defense and was a member in a Task Force dealing with Israeli MIAs at the Prime Minister's Office. Other positions have included serving as a researcher and head of Educational Curriculum at the International Policy Institute for Counter Terrorism (ICT) at the Inter Disciplinary Center in Herzliya. He is the founder of Strategic Consulting firm Labat (see Labat:about us) and is a senior consultant to NATO on matters of terrorism

Yiftah Shapir - Senior Research Fellow and Director of INSS's Military Balance Project. Former officer in the Israeli Air Force, Shapir also spent more than 10 years as co-editor of Middle East Military Balance.

Aryeh Shalev - Adjunct Senior Research Fellow. He previously served 33 years in the IDF (his final posting was Military Governor of Judea and Samaria).

Gabriel Siboni - Research Fellow and Director of the INSS's Program on IDF Force Structure. Siboni is described as having an 'extensive IDF career' where he served as Colonel. He also serves as co-editor of the military publication The Wisdom of Action and is vice head and chief methodologist of the Research Center for Force Utilization and Buildup – Experimentation Laboratory. His other positions include acting as 'a consultant in 'a wide range of fields, including operational systems and military technology; risk management; information systems; and water, energy and environmental engineering'.

Nachman Tal - Adjunct Senior Research Fellow. Tal served as a senior official of the General Security Service (GSS) for 40 years before joining the Jaffee Center research staff in 1996. His duties at the GSS included heading the GSS Arab section and he was also GSS commander of the Gaza Strip and Sinai district.

Imri Tov - Adjunct Senior Research Fellow. Tov's biography describes him as being 'the Economic Advisor to the Israeli defense establishment from 1988-2000, before which he was a senior economist at the Bank of Israel. He teaches defense economics at Tel Aviv University, and has served on the boards of several leading Israeli corporations'.

Aharon Ze'evi Farkash - Senior Research Fellow and Director of INSS's Roizman Program in Intelligence Studies. Farkash is another INSS expert with a 'long career in the IDF' where he was a Maj. Gen. and head of Military Intelligence. Other positions in the IDF included serving as chief of the Logistics and Technology Branch, a role as assistant chief and deputy chief in the Planning Branch and as a commander of Unit 8200, Israel Sigint National Unit.

Other experts include: Anat Kurz - Director of Research and a senior research fellow | Emily Landau - senior research associate who is also Steering Committee member of EuroMeSCo (Euro-Mediterranean consortium of research institutes) and of the Expert Advisory Group for Euro-Mediterranean affairs | Zaki Shalom - Principal Research Fellow

Funding

The INSS describes its 'general budget' as being based on money from the INSS endowment, with matching funds coming from Israel's Council for Higher Education along with other outside contributions.