RESEARCH DIVISION

The Research Division is responsible for carrying out actionable studies of a range of fields related to Israel’s national security. The purpose of the research is to provide the public and decision-makers with the necessary tools to address political and security-related developments, stemming from our multi-year professional experience as well as our values.

We provide comprehensive research papers, relevant position papers for discussions in Knesset committees and in government ministries, and in-depth security reviews for decision-makers in Israel and around the world in order to conceptualize the complex security landscape. Making knowledge accessible on diverse spheres of influence is a predominant part of our activity, and includes webinars and conferences for decision-makers, for diplomats and defense attachés from foreign embassies and the wider public, in order to develop in-depth discussions on our research results.

Research activity includes constant tracking of the “IDSF index”, based on an ongoing survey which acts as a representative sampling of Israeli society on issues relating to national security and social-military relations, as well as open-source research, submission of parliamentary questions and individual studies by researchers.

The department’s unique hybrid structure is diverse and includes senior researchers, from the IDF Intelligence Corps’ Research Division retirees through Military Prosecution to the Shin Bet, alongside leading academics, young students and volunteers from the Hi-Tech sector. This blend is our engine for intriguing, thought-provoking and relevant output.

Our guidelines are clear: maintaining a strictly a-political line, professionalism, values, precision, and uncompromising quality, with high-level research employing the researchers’ experience and in-depth knowledge in their fields of expertise.

For any questions, comments or inquiries, please contact us at or@idsf.org.il 

A wide range of fields and spheres:

Governance and internal security

The Iranian threat

US and EU relations with Israel

Army and Society

The Middle East

The Palestinian sphere

Research papers

Strategic Assessment for Israel 2022

The campaign against Zionism

Strategic Assessment for Israel 2022 - Book cover

RESEARCH TEAM

Eran Lahav is a researcher of terrorism specializing in global Jihad and Iranian proxies. He is the founder of the “Mabaterror” - a terrorism research and analysis Initiative, and he hosts the podcast "In the Crosshairs" on terrorism, the Arab world, security, and the Middle East.
Lt. Col. (res) Maurice Hirsch is the Director of the Initiative for Palestinian Authority Accountability and Reform in the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs and a Senior Legal Analyst at Human Rights Voices. He served for 19 years in the IDF Military Advocate General Corps. In his last position he served as Director of the Military Prosecution in Judea and Samaria.
Martin Sherman served for seven years in the intelligence community in operational positions, and as an adviser to Minister Rafael Eitan in the Shamir government, as well as the first academic director of the Herzliya Conference.

RESEARCH GRANTS

The Research Division encourages young researchers from academia working in fields relevant to Israel’s security to submit work on the core subjects dealt with by the Division.

To apply for a research grant – please fill in details below:

Tell us about your research!

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