National Security and Home Front Defense

Head of track: Dr. Avi Bitzur

The National Security and Home Front Defense track aims both to encourage recognition of the complex field of national security and to examine the impact of this dominant field on the development and shaping of Israeli society.

The guiding approach behind the studies in this specialization regards national security as a broad set of areas that influence social resilience. Accordingly, national security does not focus solely on physical security (for which the armed forces are responsible), but includes additional areas that enable a society to cope with the full range of challenges it faces. The program concentrates on the response to the complex nature of issues derived from multiple interfaces between Israeli society and factors that influence Israel’s national security.

As part of the Center for Social and Community Studies, the National Security and Home Front Defense track examines the complex issue of national security in the context of Israeli society, and seeks to expand and examine knowledge concerning the roles of the armed forces, emergency services, civil and governmental defense services on the home front (which has become a full-fledged front), and their impact on our lives in routine times and in various emergencies. The program emphasizes preparedness during periods of calm for possible crisis, such as those experienced during the Second Lebanon War and Operation Cast Lead, as well as potential future crises.