National Security Conference: 7 Failures Haunting Israel Amidst Consecutive Wars

The Israel National Security Conference, organised by the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) in collaboration with the Yedioth Ahronoth media group last Monday, presented a striking paradox. On one hand, Israel continues to discuss various military achievements; however, on the other, the nation appears increasingly lacking in confidence regarding its ability to transform these military successes into sustainable security.

More concerningly, conference participants demonstrated significant anxiety regarding internal fragmentation, the weakening of United States support, and the potential resurgence of opposing forces. Rather than producing a mutually agreed-upon threat map, the conference revealed a clash between two differing perspectives. The first view maintains that security can be achieved through the expansion of territorial control, annexation, and the development of Jewish settlements. Meanwhile, the second view warns that continuous warfare lacking a clear political direction will only transform military superiority into a strategic burden that drains resources.

Consequently, the atmosphere of the discussion resembled a critical evaluation and deep introspection rather than a celebration of victory after nearly three years of war. Terms such as “failure”, “erosion”, “isolation”, and “chaos” were heard more frequently than terms describing victory or conflict resolution. The following are some of the conclusions from the Israel National Security Conference organised by the INSS: First, the strategic failure behind operational success.