ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that to a great degree the results of the war were embedded in some of the basic features of decision-making processes in the realm of national security and the nature of the politics of defence in Israel. It explains the features of the Israeli security doctrine as it was shaped by several security challenges during the course of the almost 60 years of the country’s existence. The chapter describes the manner in which these features influenced the emerging distinctions of the politics of defence in Israel. The politics of defence in Israel are largely distinguished by several main features. First, decision-making processes in this area are marked by high levels of centralization, involving a limited number of participants. Second, a large portion of decision-makers are veterans of the Israeli security establishment, principally the Israel Defence Force.
