Netanyahu proposes a new security vision based on 10 principles: moving from defense to attack

Tel Aviv - Ofoq News - On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented a new document entitled “Security Perception,” which includes ten principles for reformulating Israeli national security, based on moving from a policy of containment and defense to initiative and attack, preventing Israel’s enemies from strengthening their military capabilities, and maintaining military and technological superiority.

While presenting the document to reporters, Netanyahu said: “After October 7, we changed the face of the Middle East because we changed ourselves,” claiming that Israel had removed an imminent nuclear threat originating from Iran, and stressing that it would prevent its enemies from possessing nuclear weapons, even if it was forced to act alone. He also spoke about his continued opposition to the Iranian nuclear program, noting that he faced opposition from Israeli security authorities regarding operations against Iran.

The ten principles are based on preventing Israel's enemies from possessing nuclear weapons, strengthening deterrence through the ability to direct accurate and intense strikes, developing intelligence warning to reveal opponents' intentions and prevent sudden attacks, encouraging initiative, military deception, independent thinking, and preparing for pre-emptive strikes. It also includes establishing buffer zones when needed, and developing multi-layered defense systems to protect the home front, while integrating defense with offensive capabilities.

Regarding the West Bank, Netanyahu said that the Israeli army had moved to an offensive approach and entered refugee camps, which he described as “terrorist camps.”

At the regional level, the document calls for strengthening international and regional alliances, while emphasizing reducing dependence on abroad in weapons production, expanding Israeli defense industries, investing in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, space and cybersecurity, along with a significant increase in the defense budget. Netanyahu stressed the need for Israel to be one of the three most advanced countries in the world in cybersecurity, after the United States and China.

The plan also includes developing means to confront anti-Israel propaganda and what the document describes as anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism, and defines victory as breaking the enemy’s power and undermining its belief in its ability to continue threatening Israel.

The document also links national security to what it calls “the spirit of the people,” including Jewish and democratic identity, readiness to defend the state, settlement in the Land of Israel, preservation of Jewish heritage, strengthening relations with diaspora Jews and encouraging immigration to Israel.

The document identifies a wide range of threats, most notably Iran and its allies, terrorism and internal security threats, attempts to isolate Israel internationally, and risks on the borders, in addition to precision missiles, drones, unmanned vehicles, cyberattacks, and military applications of artificial intelligence and quantum computing.

Netanyahu stressed that Israel cannot assume the intentions of its enemies or its allies are constant, and that it must maintain military and technological superiority and freedom of movement even without external assistance. The plan's basic message is to prioritize initiative, pre-emptive strikes and decisiveness, rather than waiting for threats to develop or merely containing them.