Gaza Herald – A right-wing project supported by wealthy American Jews aims to build influence inside the Israeli security establishment, according to a report published by Haaretz. The initiative focuses on training figures who advocate for annexing the occupied West Bank and displacing Palestinians.
Right-wing entities in Israel are constructing a new network within political and security circles with funding from American Jewish donors. The goal is to prepare individuals for influential decision-making roles in state institutions, as detailed in the newspaper’s coverage of the effort.
The project operates under the name Center for an Israeli Future. It represents a new format for the Hope Fund, which was financed by wealthy American Jews. This fund previously supported the right-wing organization Cohelilet, which helped lay the groundwork for the judicial reform plan pushed by Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
According to Haaretz, the project initially focused on influencing the judicial apparatus but has now shifted toward the security sector. The strategy involves cultivating a new generation of right-wing figures within the security establishment who hold more hardline positions regarding Palestinians.
The Center for an Israeli Future sponsors the Argaman Institute, led by Ronen Shoval, founder of the M’Tirtzu movement. The institute offers the Churchill Program, which targets individuals seeking to influence Israel’s foreign policy and security agenda.
The program includes participants with military, security, and political backgrounds. David Barnea, appointed head of Israel’s Shin Bet, appears among its graduates. The institute states the program has produced dozens of participants including officers, officials, and advisors.
Haaretz cites a document prepared by Churchill Program participants outlining a vision to change Israel’s security doctrine. The proposal calls for increasing ground forces and preparing for simultaneous confrontations on multiple fronts while adopting an offensive rather than reactive posture.
The document suggests establishing buffer zones outside areas controlled by Israel and preparing for wide-scale military operations. It identifies Egypt and Jordan as potential future threats despite peace treaties, calling for military plans to address this possibility.
Regarding Palestinians, the document asserts the conflict cannot be solved politically. It advocates dismantling the Palestinian Authority and moving toward annexation of the West Bank while encouraging Palestinians to leave their lands.
Proposals include creating a government body to manage what the document terms voluntary migration. It also suggests building an airport near the Karem Abu Salem crossing to facilitate departures and estimates numbers of Palestinians expected to leave over the next two decades.
The proposals extend to redefining the ethical rules of the Israeli army based on nationalism. The document recommends enhancing concepts of victory and national identity while reducing emphasis on human dignity principles.
It further suggests reducing reliance on American aid and increasing military resources by cutting civilian spending on education and culture while reducing public sector jobs.
David Barnea spoke at an event organized by the Argaman Institute about pursuing his agenda. The director general of the Center for an Israeli Future stated a new elite is forming in Israel.
The Churchill Program features lecturers from Israeli political and security circles including MK Simcha Rothman and former National Security Council head Meir Ben-Shabbat.
Haaretz views the project as a shift from attempting to influence the judiciary to changing the direction of the security establishment amid rising right-wing influence and ongoing war in Gaza.
This report was produced in the Gaza Herald newsroom.
