Isaac Ben-Israel

Isaac Ben-Israel
Born	(1949-07-26) July 26, 1949 Tel Aviv, Israel
Occupation(s)	General, military scientist, politician, government official, academic
Known for	Leading the Israeli Space Agency and National Council for Research and Development; establishing the National Cyber Bureau; Knesset member for Kadima
Notable work	Dialogues on Science and Defense (1989), The Philosophy of Intelligence (1999)

Isaac Ben-Israel (; born 26 July 1949) is an Israeli general, military scientist, politician, and government official. He led the Israeli Space Agency and the National Council for Research and Development within Israel’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Space from 2005 until 2022. Retiring from the IDF with the rank of General, he previously directed the military’s Administration for the Development of Weapons and the Technological Industry. Between 2010 and 2012, he acted as chief cybernetics advisor to Prime Minister Netanyahu, where he established the National Cyber Bureau and initiated the National Cyber Initiative. Presently, Ben-Israel directs the Security Studies program at Tel Aviv University and organizes its yearly international Cyber Security conference. He served as a Knesset member representing Kadima from 2007 to 2009. Recognized as a prominent Israeli authority on space, cybersecurity, and technological defense, he earned a PhD in philosophy along with a BSc in physics and mathematics from Tel Aviv University. In 2020, he forecasted that the COVID-19 pandemic would subside within seventy days regardless of intervention measures.

Biography

Ben-Israel graduated from Herzliya Hebrew High School in 1967 before joining the IDF through the Academic Reserve program, during which he completed a BSc in mathematics and physics. He received his doctorate in philosophy from Tel Aviv University in 1988. His last position in the IDF was leading the Analysis and Assessment Division within the Israeli Air Force’s Operations Research Branch. From 2000 to 2002, he was a board member at Israel Aircraft Industries. Additionally, he holds seats on the boards of Israel Corp., Teva Pharmaceutical Industries’ R&D advisory board, the Fisher Institute for Air and Space Strategic Studies, as well as academic councils including Technion’s Neaman Institute and Tel Aviv Academic College of Engineering. In 2003, he founded RAY-TOP (Technology Opportunities) Ltd., a consultancy specializing in defense technologies.

In 2017, Ben-Israel became part of the Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace, playing a role in formulating eight norms aimed at preventing hostile actions in cyberspace before the commission concluded its work in 2019.

Support for the Nautilus MTHEL

Ben-Israel has been an outspoken proponent of the Nautilus Mobile Tactical High Energy Laser (MTHEL), expressing criticism toward the Israeli government for discontinuing its development following the termination of U.S. funding. He considered MTHEL essential to Israel’s air defense system against threats with high ballistic trajectories such as attacks by Katyusha and Qassam rocket rockets originating from Southern Lebanon and the Palestinian territories. During both the 2006 Israel-Gaza conflict and 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict, he advocated for increased military budget allocations dedicated to advanced technological solutions, including efforts to revive the MTHEL project.

Politics

In the 2006 Knesset elections, Ben-Israel was placed thirty-first on the Kadima party list but did not initially secure a seat since Kadima won twenty-nine seats. He entered parliament on 25 June 2007 after Shimon Peres resigned to assume office as President. However, he lost his seat following the February 2009 elections.

Awards

Ben-Israel has been honored with multiple accolades that acknowledge his significant contributions to Israel's defense and intelligence strategies. He is the author of Dialogues on Science and Defense (1989) and The Philosophy of Intelligence (1999).

• 1972: Awarded the Israel Defense Prize for designing a bombing system utilized by the F-4 Phantom II
• 1976: Received the Israeli Air Force Prize in recognition of developing a computerized system for control and supervision
• 1984: Honored with the Head of the Intelligence Directorate Prize for innovative thinking
• 1989: Granted the Itzhak-Sade Prize for Military Literature for his work Dialogues on Science and Defense
• 2001: Earned a second Israel Defense Prize for advancements in weapon system development
• 2002: Presented with the Singapore Defense Technology Distinguished Award acknowledging his role in strengthening defense cooperation between Israel and Singapore

Further reading

• Eyal Zisser, "Israeli Policy after the Withdrawal from South Lebanon: New Realities, Old Dilemmas," Middle East Intelligence Bulletin, Vol. 2, No. 10, November 2000.
• Amnon Barzilai, "U.S. Cancels Rocket Interception Weapon Deal with Israel," Globes, January 18, 2006.
• Isaac Ben-Israel biography at Tel Aviv University, "Professor Isaac Ben-Israel".
• Interview featuring Isaac Ben-Israel, head of the Israeli Space Agency, discussing the Israeli satellite monitoring Iran’s nuclear program, IBA, April 26, 2006.
• Ro’i Ben-Horin, "Non-Lethal Weapons Theory, Practice, and what Lies Between Archived 2001-11-21 at the Wayback Machine," Jaffe Center for Strategic Studies (Tel Aviv Univ.), Vol. 3, No. 4, January 2001.
• Isaac Ben-Israel, "Myths of pullout and terror", Haaretz, July 8, 2006.