Aberrations in Civil-Military Relations in Times of Political Instability

תקציר

Relations between the political and military leaderships in democratic countries are a frequent subject of academic research and often cause for suspicion. This is likewise the case in Israel, where security issues are at the core of state business. Since Israel was founded, relations between the leaders of the two echelons have traditionally maintained a reasonable balance between controversies and agreement. In recent years, this balance has appeared to be at risk, due mostly to politicization caused by the substitution of personal and party considerations for statesmanlike and objective reasoning. The prevailing political instability is another reason why this matter must be addressed. The article examines the elements that have caused this disturbing deviation, and proposes measures for restoring the traditional balance for the sake of strengthening the democratic regime in Israel.