Ex-Shin Bet Official Predicts Softer Israeli Security Policy Under New Government
Translated & summarized from Srugim by baba
A former senior Shin Bet official, Doron Matza, believes a new Israeli government formed by "change parties" will adopt a softer, more inclusive security policy emphasizing diplomacy. He predicts this government will rely on support from Haredi and Arab parties. Matza suggested this approach marks a return to prioritizing political discourse as a means to resolve regional security issues, drawing a cautious comparison to the Oslo period.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Former Shin Bet official Doron Matza predicts a shift to a softer, more inclusive security policy.
- Matza believes a new government will prioritize diplomacy and political discourse.
- He anticipates a coalition of "change parties" with support from Haredi and Arab parties.
- The predicted policy move is away from an "activist" approach.
- Matza cautiously compared the potential shift to the Oslo Accords period.
A former senior official at the Shin Bet, Dr. Doron Matza, predicted on Thursday that a government formed by "change parties" would lead to a significant shift in Israel's security policy towards the region. Matza, speaking in an interview with Dani Siman, suggested that such a government would move away from an active approach towards one that emphasizes containment and diplomatic initiatives.
Matza outlined his scenario for the new government's composition, envisioning it as a coalition of "change parties" supported by segments of the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) parties and a safety net from Arab parties. "As it looks now, we are heading for political change in Israel, for a new government that will include a mix of those parties defined as change parties, with the support of parts of the Haredi parties and a safety net from the Arab parties," he stated.
Elaborating on the anticipated policy shift, Matza described a move from an "activist" security policy to a "softer, more inclusive" approach that would give greater weight to diplomatic tools. He drew a parallel, with reservations, to the period of the Oslo Accords, emphasizing that a new government would likely place more trust in diplomacy and political discourse as means to manage the security situation. "We will return, I wouldn't say to the days of Oslo, but we will return to days of belief in diplomacy and a type of political discourse as a mechanism that can sort things out," Matza said.
