Yaakov Lappin

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Jan 22, 2025, 3:00 PM

Why Israel must establish a military administration in Gaza

A member of security forces loyal to Hamas stands guard atop one of the trucks carrying humanitarian aid coming in from the Kerem Shalom border crossing in al-Shoka, east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on January 21, 2025. (Bashar TALEB / AFP)

Who else can take charge of the Gaza Strip? The PA is too weak, international forces won't risk their people, and Hamas rule was a terrible idea

Aug 14, 2020, 11:54 AM

The Beirut Blast That Rocked the Region

The tragic August 4 explosion that tore through Beirut, killing over 150 people, injuring thousands, and causing massive property damage, represents the latest tragic phase in Lebanon's destabilization and transition into failed-state status. As the fallout from the deadly explosion continues to...

Apr 14, 2018, 1:03 AM

Are they terror organizations or militaries?

In recent days, Israel’s Military Intelligence Directorate received a new commander. During his welcoming ceremony, the incoming intelligence chief, Major-General Tamir Heiman, provided a glimpse into the scope of the challenges awaiting him. “The reality in the Middle East is...

Mar 3, 2018, 11:11 AM

Stability is in Israel’s interest

In the tumultuous and dangerous Middle East, a core Israeli national interest is to cultivate long periods of stability for the country's citizens and economy. Frequent rounds of conflict harm the morale of the population, damage the economy, and interrupt...

Jan 11, 2018, 5:48 PM

Will there be war in 2018?

In the past year, Israel's defense establishment was successful in preventing the outbreak of war, large-scale security escalations, and frequent mass casualty terrorist attacks. In the coming year, the defense establishment will try to reach those same objectives, but...

Oct 2, 2017, 9:42 PM

Can Israel live with Fatah-Hamas Unity?

Fatah and Hamas could be moving towards to a unity Palestinian government, after many past failed attempts.  Israel will probably have to make its policy on the matter known soon, and the decision is more complex that meets the eye. Hamas,...

Sep 2, 2017, 7:06 PM

The carrot and the stick approach to keeping the peace

For the past three years, Israel has experienced an unprecedented level of relative quiet from a security point of view. Despite having to deal with a spate of mostly unorganized Palestinian terrorism, the overall situation in the West Bank today...

Aug 26, 2017, 8:22 PM

Forget not Elor Azaria: IDF rules of engagement are critical for domestic public support

In the battle to defend the IDF's moral compass from sloganeering populists, defeat is not an option

Jun 30, 2017, 6:41 PM

How the Israeli mainstream views the West Bank

The Left and Right in Israel continue to feud over what should be done with the West Bank, yet the argument between them seems to leave many Israelis cold. The Left continues to advocate a general, Israeli withdrawal from the...

Jun 8, 2017, 12:07 PM

Was there ever really a Six Day War?

During Israel's last major armed conflict with Hamas in 2014, Operation Protective Edge, the Israeli public was largely disappointed on account of the length of the hostilities between the Israelis and Palestinians. The encounter, which lasted 50 days, was one...

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About Me

Yaakov Lappin is a military and strategic affairs analyst, contributing to JNS, I24, and others. He is a research fellow at the Miryam Institute, the Alma Center, and host of the Lappin Assessment podcast on Patreon.