Amidror warns Israel must innovate to prepare for next war after drone defense ‘failure’

Israel must prioritize innovation to maintain its technological advantage and prepare for future threats, warned Yaakov Amidror, former head of Israel's National Security Council. Amidror's remarks came during the third annual Lev Conference on Science, Technology, and Security, hosted by the Jerusalem College of Technology.

The conference gathered leaders from Israel's defense, high-tech, and academic sectors to discuss cross-disciplinary collaboration for rapid technological development. A key focus was on mechanisms for detecting and defending against threats before they impact citizens.

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The Six-Day War was our most successful war, yet three months later came the War of Attrition, and six years later came the Yom Kippur War. So where was the victory? Where was the deterrence? This is a different reality.

Amidror, now a senior researcher at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, drew parallels to Israel's past, noting that even significant victories do not guarantee future security. He cited the Six-Day War, War of Attrition, and Yom Kippur War as examples, questioning the lasting deterrence and victory in each instance. "This is a different reality," he stated.

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Even if we win the hundredth war, the day after it ends, we will have to begin preparing for the hundred-and-first. But if we lose, there won't be a second chance.

He emphasized Israel's unique position as a heavily criticized nation, making sustained investment in research and innovation crucial for protecting lives and defense capabilities. "Even if we win the hundredth war, the day after it ends, we will have to begin preparing for the hundred-and-first. But if we lose, there won't be a second chance," Amidror asserted.

Despite acknowledging recent IDF achievements attributed to technological superiority, Amidror criticized Israel's preparedness for drone threats, calling it a "real failure." He argued that Israel should have been better prepared, having prior knowledge and understanding of the threat. Addressing this requires developing rapid interception forces and enhancing overall preparedness, with other conference attendees stressing the need to foster future scientists and engineers.

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This is a real failure. We should have been far better prepared for this threat because we knew about it and understood it long beforehand.