The Effect of Cyberwar Technologies on Force Buildup: The Israeli Case

Israel's national interest focuses on maintaining its security against those seeking to harm it and undermine its very existence. This interest, along with Israel's geopolitical location, necessitates superiority in cyberspace as an integral part of its ability to defend itself against conventional and cyber attacks, and an integral part of its deterrent attack capability in the Middle East theater and beyond. The aim of this article is to present the role of cyber warfare technology in Israel’s security doctrine and to examine Israel’s preparations for dealing with the cyber threat by evaluating three necessary levels: (1) formulating a regular strategy for handling the threat posed by the development of cyber warfare technology; (2) allocating resources and budgets; and (3) effecting changes in the manner in which Israel builds its forces. An assessment of government publications will presumably demonstrate the importance of this topic for decision makers and the resources they allocate for dealing with it. The aim here is to portray the situation in Israel and attempt to point out the existing gaps in this eld.