Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
At a lab in the Teva Medical
Factory in Har Hotzvim,
Jerusalem, 2010. (Nati
Shohat / Flash90.)
provided. In the fi rst decades of nationhood Israel's economy was largely dominated by the
Histadrut (the trade union federation) and its many associated companies, as well as by coop-
erative enterprises.
But by the 1990s, as the country outgrew this socialist, statist system, it made a smooth
transition to a far larger degree of privatization. Israel also built an economy based on its
strong points — computer, agricultural, medical, and scientifi c technology
—
despite the lack
of such key requirements as viable natural resources, trade with neighbors, and a large internal
market. Class and economic issues — often the main theme of other countries' politics —were
not core issues in Israeli politics. A 2011 social protest movement over widening economic gaps
and rising prices, especially in housing, launched huge demonstrations but so far has hardly
affected electoral politics.
Another large challenge was the creation of an armed forces and national security structure
to cope with imminent threats of national destruction from all of its neighbors, a virtually
unique problem among the 200 countries in the contemporary world. And this task had to
be accomplished by a people with virtually no military experience during the previous 2,000
years. In the Yishuv period, four underground forces developed
—
two of them in opposition to
the leadership
—
but their successful dissolution into the national armed forces after Israel won
independence provided a civilian-directed military institution that has prevailed ever since.
Ensuring that the military refl ected the country's democratic principles, functioned effec-
tively with minimal disruption of socioeconomic life, and could defend Israel against over-
whelming odds was a major undertaking. A unique system was created combining a period of
mandatory service with a large reserve that could be quickly mobilized. In addition, Israel had
to develop a technological edge to make up for the numerical superiority of its enemies, plus a
strategy to deal with potential simultaneous threats on all of its borders.
This military system was extraordinarily successful in defending the country against exter-
nal threats. It had to be since even a single major defeat would have spelled the end of the state
and the probable massacre or expulsion of most of its inhabitants. Despite the importance of
military issues and institutions, however, Israel is not a heavily militarized society.
