“Former Israeli National Security Advisor” – with Uzi Arad

Summary

Uzi Arad (Wikipedia) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss intelligence and policy at the highest level. Uzi was also a former foreign policy advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Director of Intelligence for the Mossad.  

What You’ll Learn

Intelligence

• National security in Israel
• Israel’s position within the Middle East 
• State leaders as consumers of intelligence
• Uzi’s relationship with PM Netanyahu

Reflections

• Handling intense pressure 
• Power, proximity, and influence

And much, much more …

Episode Notes

This week, Andrew was joined by Uzi Arad, former Head of Israel’s National Security Council, in a conversation around his illustrious career in Israeli intelligence and national security. During his 30-year career, Uzi served as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s National Security Advisor, his foreign policy advisor, advisor to the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, in addition to being the head of Mossad’s intelligence division. Uzi is currently a Senior Fellow at the Yuval Ne'eman Workshop for Science, Technology and Security at Tel Aviv University. 

This episode is the second in our 5-part series on Israeli Intelligence. If you haven’t already, make sure to start out with last week’s episode with Erez David Maisel. This special series will run throughout the month of October to coincide with the 50^th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War and the 75^th anniversary of Israel as a state. 

And… 

Uzi hails from the beautiful Roman-founded town Tiberias, a city on the coast of the Sea of Galilee. The Sea of Galilee, which is actually a lake, is the lowest freshwater lake on Earth! On the opposite side of the lake from Tiberias, you’ll find the 8-stop Eli Cohen Trail, a tour of critical spots in the Israeli spy’s career.  

Quotes of the Week

“[Netanyahu] himself said that choosing me was inevitable. And I was challenged by that, and I thought that my two primary objectives at the time, they were dual. One, to manage the NSC as one should – referring to statement of missions, but at the same time to make it stronger and to make it an institution that will last.” – Uzi Arad

Resources 

SURFACE SKIM

*SpyCasts*

• Irregular Warfare & Intelligence with IWC Director Dennis Walters (2023)
• Israeli Military Intelligence with IDF Brig. General (Res.) Yossi Kuperwasser (2023)
• Keeping Secrets/Disclosing Secrets with Spy Chief turned DG of Australia’s National Archives David Fricker (2022)
• Intelligence & the World’s Largest Democracy with Former Indian Intelligence Director Vikram Sood (2021)

*Beginner Resources*

• National Security Definition and Examples, R. Longley, ThoughtCo (2021) [Short article]
• What Was the Iran-Contra Affair?, HISTORY, YouTube (2018) [5 min. video]
• A 60-Second Guide To The Arab Spring, G. Wyler, Insider (2011) [Short article]

DEEPER DIVE

Books

• Eighteen Days in October: The Yom Kippur War and How It Created the Modern Middle East, U. Kaufman (St. Martin’s Press, 2023) 
• Bibi: The Turbulent Life and Times of Benjamin Netanyahu, A. Pfeffer (Basic Books, 2018)
• Gideon's Spies: The Secret History of the Mossad, G. Thomas (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2015) 
• Six Days of War: June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East, M. B. Oren (Presidio Press, 2006)

Articles

• Israel says it foiled Iranian plot to target, spy on senior Israeli politicians, J. Frankel, ABC News (2023)
• Israel's Top Court Debates Law Preventing Netanyahu from Being Declared Unfit, C. Maanit et al., Haaretz (2023)
• National Security Decisionmaking Processes in Israel, O. Shelah, RAND Corporation (2022)
• From Ben-Gurion to Netanyahu: The Evolution of Israel’s National Security Strategy, J. Nagel & J. Schanzer, Foundation for Defense of Democracy (2019)
• Is There a Future for Israel’s National Security Council?, U. Arad, Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies (2012)
• Iran, Israel and the Middle East Conflict, D. Menashri, Journal of Israel Affairs (2006)

Video

• No Limit, Inside the Mossad (2017)
• Follow Me: The Yoni Netanyahu Story (2012)

Primary Sources 

• Trilateral Statement on the Middle East Summit at David Peace, The Avalon Project (2000) 
• The Wye River Memorandum (1998) 
• The Washington Declaration, Jewish Virtual Library (1994)
• Report of the Congressional Committees Investigating the Iran-Contra Affair, CIA FOIA (1987) 
• Israel’s “Peace for the Galilee” Operation in Lebanon – Some Initial Perspectives, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (1982)
• Sitting 145 of the Ninth Knesset (1978)

*Wildcard Resource*

• Munich (2005), a film about the Mossad operation to avenge the deaths of 11 Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics. 
• A great movie, and a great reminder to not learn everything you know about intelligence from the movies! As Uzi reminded us, movies are excellent storytellers, but not always the most accurate.