An AI-Created National Security Strategy for Israel?

In the past week, the Trump administration released a National Security Strategy, the official document articulating the interests, objectives, means, and principles of the United States. Every administration must publish such a strategy according to American law, which makes us in Israel jealous - we would have wanted to see such a structured, principled document for Israel, regardless of the government forming it.

So we wrote one ourselves.

We reject the false choice between being a nation-state for the Jewish people and a liberal democracy in which all citizens are equal. We assert that our pursuit of peace, promotion of justice, and protection of human rights does not make us less Israeli - it makes us stronger Israelis.

We tasked Perplexity with writing a similar strategy, given LIBRAEL’s vision for Israel as the democratic, secure, and prosperous nation-state of the Jewish people, and from the perspective of a liberal Zionist government that is committed to a vision in which the Palestinians live in freedom, security, and dignity.

Naturally, this excerpt of a strategy is not perfect. Like every text created by AI, every sentence here can and should be debated. This is NOT our worldview or policy, but merely an example of the strategic planning process that can and should be done by any liberal Israeli government.

This is what turned out:

The National Security Strategy an AI would write.

The Jerusalem Strategy: Securing Our Future Through Values

The State of Israel stands at a defining crossroads. Emerging from the trauma and tragedy of the October 7 Massacre and the war that followed it, we have learned a painful but necessary truth: military might is a prerequisite for our existence, but it is not the sole guarantee of our future. For too long, we allowed petty politics and a short-sighted political system to dictate a de facto strategy, instead of having a strategy derived from our national values. We managed threats rather than solving them; we prioritized politics over people; and we allowed the erosion of our democratic soul in the name of a false stability.

Today, we present the 2025 Israeli National Security Strategy, rooted in the conviction of a proud Liberal Zionism. Our vision is clear: Israel is, and must remain, the democratic, secure, and prosperous nation-state of the Jewish people.

We reject the false choice between being a nation-state for the Jewish people and a liberal democracy in which all citizens are equal. We assert that our pursuit of peace, promotion of justice, and protection of human rights does not make us less Israeli - it makes us stronger Israelis.

It is the secret weapon that preserves our alliance with the United States, secures our standing in the global economy, and binds our diverse society together, while being derived from our Jewish identity and tradition, committed to the self-evident truth that God created all people in his image.

A state that does not protect the rights of its minorities cannot, in the long run, protect the security of its majority. A state that allows extremists to hijack its flag cannot wave it proudly among the family of nations. True security is both the height of our walls and the strength of our military, as well as the depth of our moral conviction and our commitment to our identity.

Strategic Analysis: The Strength of Democracy

Israel possesses extraordinary assets.

We are a technological superpower, a thriving economy, a culturally and demographically diverse mosaic, and possess a military force - the IDF - unmatched in the region. However, our strategic assessment identifies a critical internal weakness: the erosion of social solidarity and democratic norms. The polarization of recent years is a national security threat as potent as any Iranian missile.

Our analysis suggests that our greatest opportunity lies in a regional realignment based on shared interests and shared progress. The crumbling of the Iranian axis offers us a chance to cement a regional alliance - not just as a military pact against Tehran and Hamas, but as an economic and technological partnership with the moderate Sunni world. However, this door will only open if we are willing to walk through it with integrity - which requires a courageous and just approach to the Palestinian issue.

The threat is not only external but internal: the loss of hope, the growing rift between Ultra-Orthodox and non-Orthodox Jews over burden-sharing issues, and the rise of Palestinian and Jewish extremism.

The Foundation of Jewish–Democratic Resilience

National security begins at home. The Strategy places the defense of Israel’s liberal democracy at the very top of our security agenda.

Therefore, we declare that even with needed reforms to our checks-and-balances system, the independence of the Judiciary is a strategic asset, serving as the "Iron Dome" of our international legal standing and the guardian of our civil liberties. We commit to a fierce defense of the free press, the protection of minority rights, and the absolute equality of all citizens - Jews and Arabs alike - before the law.

Crucially, to preserve the Zionist character of the state, we must ensure the separation of religion and state. A coercive public sphere alienates our own people and our Jewish brothers and sisters in the world. We envision an Israel where Jewish tradition is a source of inspiration, not legislation, and where the "Tribes of Israel" share the burden of service and the fruits of prosperity equally.

Strengthening the Arab sector’s integration into the economy and society is not charity, and not even a security issue; it is the leading path to prosperity within Israel and to regional integration.

Partnership with the Palestinian People

For decades, we “managed” the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, hoping it would disappear. It did not, and it blew up in our face.

This begins with a change in posture. We view the Palestinian Authority as deeply flawed yet necessary partner to be strengthened against Hamas and other radicals. We commit to the physical and social reconstruction of Gaza - including in desalination, energy, housing, welfare, and education - to reduce the incentives for terror and to remove the institutions that incite it.

Simultaneously, the State of Israel will reassert its rule of law in Judea and Samaria by cracking down uncompromisingly on nationalist crime: these acts by Jewish extremists are not "Zionism"; they are a stain on all Israelis (and are rejected and appalled by most of us), an assault on the IDF, and a strategic liability that threatens our alliances. The monopoly on force belongs to the state alone, and its use will be reserved for security-related tasks alone.

Core Strategic Interests

Our policy is guided by ten core interests:

1. Survival and Sovereignty: Ensuring the existence of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people and the security and safety of all its people.

2. Democratic Character: Safeguarding the rule of law, separation of powers, human rights, and free and fair elections.

3. Liberal Zionism: Insisting on our core strategic and security demands while preserving the conditions for peace, justice, and freedom for the Palestinians.

4. Regional Integration: Leveraging the Abraham Accords into deep economic, security, and technological relations with our neighbors, including a moderate Palestinian leadership.

5. The U.S. Alliance: Strengthening our bond with the United States based on shared values and interests, both security and civilian.

6. Prevention of Existential Threats: Preventing a nuclear Iran, a Turkish presence on our border, and Qatari influence on our global standing.

7. Social Cohesion: Reducing inequality, creating opportunities, and integrating Ultra-Orthodox and Arab populations into the workforce and national service.

8. Diaspora Connection: Rebuilding the bridge with World Jewry based on shared respect.

9. International Legitimacy: Maintaining our global standing, alliances, and “soft power.”

10. Economic Vitality: Ensuring a free, competitive, and inclusive economy that provides opportunity for everyone, especially given the massive changes in the workforce.

Conclusion

This strategy reflects a confident liberal Zionism. It is the confidence to seek peace because we are strong enough - and seeking peace with eyes wide open and feet on the ground.

It is the confidence to critique ourselves because we believe in our righteous cause and in the promise to be better. We believe that “Justice, Justice, You Shall Pursue” is not just a biblical command, but a strategic doctrine, ranging from economic inequality within Israel to partnership with our neighbors when possible.

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