Former Israeli security advisor says more Iran focus needed for ending Gaza extremism

Israel’s former national security advisor, Dr. Eyal Hulata, on Tuesday praised the country’s tactical military achievements against Hamas but lamented the absence of a broader strategic security doctrine.

“Israel does not have a security doctrine; it was never properly written,” Hulata stated at the Israel Democracy Institute’s Eli Hurvitz Conference on Economy and Society 2025.

Hulata who currently serves as a senior international fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), assessed that Israel has inflicted unprecedented damage to Hamas. However, he stressed that defeating Hamas would not end the extremism in Gaza. 

“The absolute damage Israel has caused and exacted from Hamas is unprecedented compared to any other enemy Israel has fought. It’s hard to fully grasp this amid the trauma of October 7, but the fact is clear – defeating Hamas alone will not solve the ability of extremist groups in Gaza to hold weapons,” he predicted.

“A more holistic solution is needed to ensure that Gaza will not continue to threaten us, even if Hamas surrenders,” he added. 

Hulata argued that the Jewish state is currently not sufficiently addressing the strategic threat to its long-term security – the Islamic Republic of Iran, which sponsors its regional terrorist proxies Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. 

“Our priorities continue to avoid addressing major security challenges [such as] Iran and its proxies – especially in the negotiations as they are currently conducted – which worries me,” the security expert said. 

Some critics of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have argued that his government prioritizes political survival over strategic national interests. 

While Hulata no longer serves in an official state capacity, he recalled that there was a strategic consensus in Israel as late as in 2022. 

“I spoke with three prime ministers – [Naftali] Bennett, Yair Lapid, and [Benjamin] Netanyahu – and at the conclusion of the 2022 strategic assessment, there were no major gaps.”

Israel and the United States have both vowed to prevent the Iranian ayatollah regime from developing nuclear weapons. However, there are reportedly current tensions between Jerusalem and Washington concerning the best way to achieve this strategic goal. The Trump administration is currently engaged in nuclear talks with Iran, but Israel remains skeptical that Tehran will willingly give up its nuclear weapons ambitions. 

Netanyahu’s office denied on Wednesday a New York Times report that Israel was preparing to disrupt the nuclear talks with a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. 

The Iranian ayatollah regime, which openly calls for Israel’s destruction, denies that it seeks nuclear weapons, claiming that it only seeks peaceful civilian nuclear energy. 

However, Israeli and Western security officials have dismissed Iranian denials, arguing that Iran does not need civilian nuclear energy with its vast oil resources. Furthermore, Iran has insisted on enriching weapons-grade uranium, which is not needed for a genuine civilian nuclear program. Even U.S. President Trump recently admitted that he did not understand why the ayatollah regime insists on enriching weapons-grade uranium. 

Looking ahead, Hulata stressed that Israel also faces strategic opportunities with expanded normalized ties with Arab and Muslim nations through the Trump-brokered Abraham Accords. While recognizing Israel’s current security concerns in Gaza, he argued that a long-term Israeli presence in Gaza would not benefit Israel’s regional alliances with moderate Arab regimes. 

Israel’s military, technological, and economic strength convinced the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan to normalize relations with the Jewish state in 2020. Saudi Arabia and other Muslim-majority countries have signaled openness to establishing diplomatic ties with Israel – if it publicly commits to a path toward a two-state solution. However, such a move is currently off the table, as many in Israel view it as an undue concession following the Oct. 7, 2023, large-scale terrorist attack by Hamas.

Israel’s economy and its tech sector are crucial for the continued expansion of normalization agreements with the wider Arab and Muslim world. 

Last week, the Bank of Israel Governor, Amir Yaron, articulated cautious optimism about Israel’s economic recovery.

“We entered this crisis strong and we’re climbing back, but resilience alone won’t solve the long-term challenges,” Yaron stated at the Jerusalem Post Annual New York Conference.