General Background

The War placed Israeli society under its most profound test since the establishment of the state, combining—on an unprecedented scale—a multi-theater military threat, a political crisis of confidence, and an election year. The strategic framework presented here, focusing on societal resilience in Israel, is grounded in our research on civil–military relations, reserve force resilience, education, and community resilience.

The overall picture points to the strength of an “armed nation”, sustained by the reserve system, the family unit, and the community as key pillars of cohesion, alongside a deepening of internal fractures and growing threats to the legitimacy of the political and institutional system.

A Mobilized Nation Amid Political Turbulence

The conception of Israel as a “mobilized nation” has long served as a framework for understanding civil–military relations and the linkage between citizenship and security. The reserve force, the unique status of the Israeli family, and a normative code of collective responsibility together shape a form of resilience that combines willingness to sacrifice, functional adaptability, and a relatively rapid restoration of civilian life.

At the same time, our research indicates that alongside high levels of societal resilience, there is an accumulated erosion of trust in state institutions and a…