Knesset passes law to require gov't to formulate national security policy

The Knesset late Tuesday passed a law requiring every new government to formulate a national security policy within months after its establishment and to present the policy to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee (FADC).

The rationale for the law is that Israeli governments are often accused of letting politics and short-term considerations govern their major decisions. In contrast, having a set document that forces the government to decide its top priorities based on professional long-term interests can improve future decision-making.

More specifically, the law’s preamble says a lack of such a document had contributed to Israel’s lack of preparedness for the October 7 massacre.

Having to present and explain that document to the FADC adds an additional layer of ensuring that long-term interests, and not politics and short-term calculations, would be the guiding factors in framing the national security strategy.

Efforts to pass the law were bipartisan, with collaboration between the opposition’s National Unity MK Gadi Eisenkot and FADC chairman Yuli Edelstein to pass the law.

The law requires the government to approve the strategy within 150 days of its establishment, and it is supposed to receive ongoing updates.

The prime minister is required under the law to present the strategy to the FADC, although he is expected to do so in a closed hearing due to national security concerns.

Nevertheless, there would be a set time when the prime minister will need to explain the national missions and priorities, as well as rank priorities and explain why he concluded that one goal is more important than another.

Furthermore, the government and the FADC would be required to publish a declassified summary of the strategy for the general public.

Eisenkot and Edelstein argued that most Western governments have had to present such documents to their legislative branches for years to enhance oversight, and that the absence of such a document and process in Israel was an anachronism.

Especially after the October 7 massacre, they said, it was an anachronism that could no longer continue.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has opposed a state commission of inquiry into his role in failures concerning the October 7 massacre, but he did not oppose this law.

When Eisenkot was IDF chief of staff, he published a national security strategy, which he said he had undertaken in lieu of the government doing so, to at least somewhat advance long-term planning and thinking.

Report issued for reframing IDF future

While the report does contain a number of ideas for change, it did not involve any probing of failure associated with the October 7 massacre. Some critics of the report said its conclusions were missing a large piece of the puzzle for improvement.

A major recommendation of the commission is to shift the defense establishment and its budget from a deterrence and defense posture to a much more proactive and preventative attack posture regarding threats.

Nagel said that would involve shifting resources to a 70% attack versus 30% defense balance.

To accomplish that and to provide for the IDF’s immediate ongoing greater needs, Nagel recommended adding NIS 9 billion to the 2025 budget and maintaining some level of increase until around 2030. For 2025, the additional NIS 9b. would bring the joint IDF and Defense Ministry budget up to NIS 123b.

After 2030, the defense budget would still be increased, but at steadily reduced levels.

While some of the Nagel Commission recommendations are being implemented, others are being ignored, and the government has taken no position on others.

This situation highlights the importance of having a document that the government is committed to and must bring before the Knesset.