Institute for Zionist Strategies

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Institute for Zionist Strategies
המכון לאסטרטגיה ציונית
Founded2005; 19 years ago (2005)
HeadquartersJerusalem, Israel
Key people
Yoel Golovenski, president
Yoaz Hendel, Chairperson
Miri Shalem, Chief executive officer
WebsiteIZS homepage

The Misgav Institute for National Security and Zionist Strategy (formerly named Institute for Zionist Strategies) is an Israeli think tank, founded and headed by prominent right-wing figures. It was established in 2005 by Israel Harel and Attorney Joel Golovensky, and is based in Jerusalem. Its chairman during the years 2013-2019 was Yoaz Hendel. As of 2023, it is headed by Meir Ben-Shabbat. and was renamed as Misgav Institute for National Security and Zionist Strategy. Senior staff in the Misgav Institute have significant overlap with that of the Kohelet Policy Forum, including Kohelet chairman Moshe Koppel.

The self-described goal of the IZS is "to preserve Israel as a viable, democratic Jewish state, now and forever." For this purpose, the IZS seeks "to put forward creative policies and programs" for implementation by Israeli politicians and the general public.

Activities[edit]

The long-term goal of the IZS is the installation of a constitution for the State of Israel. To that end, the IZS, as its first major project, drafted a constitution. It was written by a team of experts and submitted to the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee of the 16th and the 17th Knesset (2003–2006 and 2006–2009, respectively).

The IZS has also organized other task forces to deal with contemporary issues in Israel. Among them the following.

Constitutional Task Force[edit]

A team of experts headed by Prof. Avraham Diskin that formulated the IZS draft constitution.[1][self-published source?] In preparation for the opening of the 17th Knesset, this task force gathered a number of academics, politicians, judges, rabbis and other public figures at the IZS and drafted a proposed constitution for the State of Israel. The detailed proposal includes the various components necessary to the constitution. The draft constitution emphasizes the sections defining the State of Israel as the national home of the Jewish people, and it significantly alters the relationship between the judicial authority and the legislative and executive authorities. The Constitutional Task Force lists among its members: Prof. Avraham Diskin, Prof. Moshe Koppel, Prof. Berachyahu Lifshitz, Judge (ret.) Uri Strosemn, Rabbi Dan Barry, Dr. Yitzhak Klein, Adv. Joel Golovensky and Israel Harel. In July 2006 the IZS submitted to the president and the Knesset its constitution, entitled "A Constitution for the State of Israel." The Constitution Committee attended the hearings conducted by the 17th Knesset's Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, headed by MK Menahem Ben-Sasson.[2][better source needed]

'Trojan Horse'[edit]

This project studied more than 20 NGOs in Israel and their donors. The Institute, in collaboration with NGO Monitor, issued a joint report, "Trojan Horse - The Impact of European Government Funding for Israeli NGOs", stating that foreign governments were funding NGOs in Israel in order to influence Israeli policy and public debate.[3] As a result, a bill was proposed to the Knesset requiring funding disclosure by NGOs receiving support from foreign political entities. The bill was approved in February 2011 and was not well received by the European Union.[4]

Young Leadership Program[edit]

The Young Leadership Program initiated the Re-Signing by the 17th Knesset of the Declaration of Independence: On Independence Day, to celebrate Israel's 60th anniversary, the IZS, led by the Young Leadership group of the Institute, asked all members of Knesset to show their faith in the values of Zionism, as expressed by the founders of the state Declaration of Independence by signing it, thereby affirming they would have signed it if they were present in 1948. Ninety MKs signed.[5][self-published source?]

Academic Post-Zionism[edit]

The IZS, as part of the research of Dr. Hanan Moses, examined the extent of bias toward post-Zionist discourse in sociology departments throughout Israeli universities and whether the Zionist narrative is given equal treatment in Israeli academia. The investigation claimed that all Israeli universities except Bar-Ilan University have what the research describes as "post-Zionist bias" in their sociology departments. Those claims were compared by some to McCarthyism[6][7]

References[edit]

  1. ^ IZS Draft Constitution: http://www.izs.org.il/eng/default.asp?father_id=169&catid=198.
  2. ^ https://www.knesset.gov.il/protocols/data/html/huka/2006-11-26.html. [bare URL]
  3. ^ "NGO report: B'Tselem tops European funding list". The Jerusalem Post. 2 December 2009.
  4. ^ EU upset over Israeli bid to scan NGO funds. 9 September 2010: http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/israel-palestinian.61i
  5. ^ "Hebrew Classes – the Institute for Zionist Strategies".
  6. ^ Im Tirtzu's onslaught / No to the thought police 18 August 2010: http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/im-tirtzu-s-onslaught-no-to-the-thought-police-1.308670
  7. ^ McCarthyism in Tel Aviv 17 August 2010: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3938500,00.html).

External links[edit]

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