The survival and prosperity of a state depend not only on its military force but also on its internal strength, that is, on the cohesion of society, on the creative and productive forces within it, as well as on the effectiveness of the political, economic, cultural and social institutions that govern and organize it. The values upheld by society, as reflected in domestic and foreign policies, form a core element of the state’s soft power: the image it projects abroad, which can shape the willingness of foreign governments and publics to support it and its policies. In the information age, soft power is a strategic asset that must be cultivated, managed, and safeguarded against external threats, particularly foreign influence and information warfare. This condensed course includes visits to key institutions across Israel’s diplomatic and defense establishments, business sector, and civil society that are engaged in shaping Israel’s image and advancing its national and security interests through traditional, public, and digital diplomacy. We explore the goals, tools, challenges, and opportunities of each actor, with particular attention to the context of the October 7 War, situating these insights within a broader theoretical and comparative framework.

The surprise attack of October 7, 2023, and the regional wars that followed underscored the limits of explaining adversaries' behavior through material factors alone, such as military might, economic resources, and balances of power. They also served as a reminder that what appears irrational from one side's perspective may be perceived very differently by the other. Worldviews, historical memory, values, norms, ideology, and patterns of thought all shape how states, militaries, and armed groups interpret reality, assess their adversaries, and make decisions. Differences in strategic culture often lie at the root of intelligence failures, misperceptions, strategic surprise, and war.

This course examines strategic culture as an analytical framework for understanding the security doctrines of Israel and the principal actors in its regional environment. We will explore how cultural factors have shaped Israel's strategic thinking, compare it with the strategic cultures of its adversaries, and examine how different strategic cultures influence decision-making on national security, the use of military force, intelligence, and conflict management. The first part of the course introduces the major theoretical approaches to strategic culture and the principal methods used to analyze it. The second part applies these analytical tools to case studies from the Middle East, including Israel, Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas.

Just as intelligence and defense agencies occupy a central role in the security, politics, society, and economy of states, they also play a pivotal role in shaping—and at times, managing—foreign relations between states. On the one hand, they can foster understanding, cooperation, and peace; but on the other, they may sustain conflicts or exacerbate tensions, potentially leading to escalation and war. Therefore, the overt and covert deployment of security and intelligence actors in the management of diplomatic relations forms a crucial aspect of international relations. It is essential to understanding and explaining phenomena within the international system, particularly in the unique Israeli case. This course delves into the realm of defense and intelligence diplomacy, exploring its elements, mechanisms, and purposes, as well as the conditions that lead states to employ it. Additionally, it examines its political consequences and the potential implications for national security and international stability. The course is grounded in the relevant scholarly literature and in case studies that trace the evolution of defense and intelligence diplomacy, from the first defense attachés serving as spies and liaison officers in the European wars of the 18th and 19th centuries to contemporary manifestations of defense diplomacy in the information and digital age, as witnessed in the Russo-Ukrainian War and in Israel's war against Hamas and the Shiite axis.