Israel and Technological Warfare: A Relationship Like No Other
Israel’s performance at war depends on the uniquely established relationship between its security structure and its base technologies sector.
Events in the Middle East have unfolded from the beginning of the Palestinian-Israeli war, with Israel’s continued use of their advanced tech weapons. From drones to protection systems, for the first-time last month, Israel used its Arrow 3 long-range air defense system. Another tech advancement that the Israelis have been using is the Iron Dome.
Although the Iron Dome has experienced glitches at times, it has been effective on other occasions. News reports have stated that Israel has been accelerating the development of their Iron Beam, another one of Israel’s air defense systems that uses laser technology to target incoming rockets and drones.
This proves the point, and it is of no surprise nor a secret that Israel receives yearly billions of dollars from the United States to aid them in building their military. According to the Council on foreign Relations, the U.S funds Israel approximately $3.3 billion on a yearly basis. The most recent war between Palestine and Israel has demonstrated that Israel’s military, along with their technology, is unique relationship of its own. It’s even stated that Israel’s tech economy ensures the country’s responsibility in keeping Israel safe throughout its war on Gaza.
Tech’s Complex Economic Effect
After Silicon Valley, Israel’s tech ecosystem is the second largest. It accounts for 14 % of jobs and one-fifth of its GDP. The technology developed is usually given to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to test, along with tech experts, and this collaboration is the reason behind the success of tech in the military field.
According to Itamar Yar, a former deputy in Israel’s National Security Council, he stated that “There’s a sort of ping-pong between a tech company and the IDF. Long before there’s a marketable product, the tech companies offer it to the IDF, the police, or the intelligence agencies, and they try it out, sometimes in ongoing operations, to test and to improve it. If it is good, then it is procured fairly quickly.”
Israel has also integrated AI into their technology advancements in the recent war. The use of AI has made it clear that Israelis are capable of precisely targeting individuals. However, throughout the Gaza war, numerous new reports have highlighted that the death toll in Gaza has risen due to Israel’s refrain from adopting a more precise targeting approach. Throughout the past four months, this raised multiple concerns around the IDF’s operations during the war, including questions about the reliability of Israel’s adoption of AI during the war.
Base technologies achievements can shape the military but should not come at the expense of civilians lives. The public, and in some cases certain politicians, are demanding the international community to use whatever means available at its disposal to ensure a safe adoption of technological advancements during the Israel-Gaza war. The world is advocating for the use of technology not as a means to kill but as a mediator for a better future
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