Introduction.

Although “security” is probably the most central issue pertaining to the lives of all Israeli citizens, usually it is dealt with through the use of “traditional” theoretical and analytical tools. Thus, the study of the various aspects of this issue tends to focus on the more formal facets of the relations between Israeli “civil” and “military/security” spheres. In order to critically and systematically reexamine this major subject, in 2003 we established at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute an interdisciplinary Workshop on Israeli Security and Society under the provocative title “An Army who has a State?” Since its establishment, about thirty members of the Workshop, who include young and veteran scholars and practitioners with vast experience in both academic and practical matters pertaining to security in Israel, have participated in its various activities—studies, internal seminars, public discussions, and publications. The overarching purpose of the Workshop was to establish a forum for critical in-depth discussions and innovative analyses of the questions pertaining to Israeli security, society, and politics, and to expose the general public, politicians, and professionals to the resultant new views and perspectives in this sphere. The focus of the studies presented in the Workshop’s meetings and the resultant discussions conducted by its members has been on the informal relations between Israel’s security/military sector, on the one hand, and the civilian sector, on the other. More specifically, the workshop has examined the concept of “security” in Israel, the various components of the country’s security sector, the roles and influence of serving and retired security officials, and the impact of security policies on the state’s political, social, economic, and cultural spheres. This Special Issue of Israel Studies presents studies and findings discussed by the participants in the Workshop. This Special Issue brings together nine articles that offer new innovative and critical perspectives on the changing