Military Activism
Introduction
The concept 'Military Activism' refers to an Israeli political-security approach which was developed in the 1950’s by David Ben Gurion and promoted disproportionate military retaliation as the most effective deterrence against Arab violence and viewed international opinion as peripheral to Israel’s vital interests.
Background
Israel’s difficult geo-strategic position in the early years of the state led to the evolution of two divergent schools of thought which revolved around Israel’s first Prime Minister David Ben Gurion, and the country’s second Prime Minister and first Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett.
Military Activism – affiliated with Ben Gurion and IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Dayan and influenced by Ze’ev Jabotinsky’s Iron Wall Doctrine (see below) - is generally thought to have held the upper hand over the ‘competing’ strategy of Political Activism promoted by Sharett (See Concept: Political Activism).
The contrasting policies of the two approaches were heavily influenced by their differing attitudes towards the Arab states, the role of the international community and the correct balance between defense and diplomatic issues.
2006-04-01
Concept Paper
National Security
Regional Security
Ben Gurion believed that the defense establishment should play a decisive role in the life of the nation and that strengthening the IDF took on overriding importance.
Related Content
Peoplehood political panel
The representatives of the political parties in a conversation about realizing the mission of the State of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people and the relationship between Israel and world Jewry
From the Abraham Accords to Normalizing Jewish-Muslim Relations
Reut gather 60 leaders for a two-day summit in DC
First Quarterly Report - mapping the Jewish Peoplehood field in Israel
We are very proud to present the first quarterly report of the Jewish People Field Mapping System. The report presents data for the first quarter of 2022 (January-March) and further completion of April information. This is the first report produced on the basis of the new mapping system.