13 Chapter 2 The Strategic and Operational Environment 1. The threat to the State of Israel has undergone a change in recent years. In the past, the enemy strove to promote a vision emphasizing Arab nationality, and mainly attempted to defeat Israel via conventional military action. Today, however, the enemy is characterized by local, ethnic-based and religious attributes. Its modusoperandi has altered, and now it combines regular military activity, guerilla warfare, terrorism and "soft" warfare. Characteristics of the International and Strategic Environment 2. Within the external environment, the following strategic logics may be identified: a. The enemy strives to enforce Islamic rule over the Middle East, including the State of Israel. It acts to erode and exhaust Israeli society, based on the assumption that its resilience is low. b. The Islamic "resistance" movements seek to replace the nation-states, and have relentlessly been trying to establish themselves in low-governability frontier areas. c. Challenging issues with western countries affecting Israel's international legitimacy. 3. Within the internal Israeli environment: a. Israel is a peaceful nation seeking to avoid conflict. b. If a conflict is imposed on the State of Israel, it will concentrate its capabilities and win. c. Changes in national priorities have led to a reduction of investment in defense, compared to investment in social and economic developments. Concurrently, the Israeli public expects the IDF to provide prompt threat resolutions and an overall protection.