Yoaz Hendel

Yoaz Hendel (Hebrew: יועז הנדל‎; born May 22, 1975) is an Israeli military historian and journalist serving as head of the Institute for Zionist Strategies (IZS) since May 2012. He formerly served as Director of Communications and Public Diplomacy for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and was a lecturer at Bar-Ilan University, where he taught courses on terror and guerrilla warfare.

Biography

Early life

Hendel was born in Petah Tikva and grew up in the religious settlement of Elkana.[1] At age 18, he began his military service in the Israel Defense Forces, joining the elite Shayetet 13 naval commando unit, where he served as a fighting officer and commander. He was discharged from the IDF after six years and remained active for several additional years in the Prime Minister’s Office.[2] During his time in the military, Hendel fought in the 2006 Lebanon War and the Gaza War of 2008/09. He holds the rank of major in the Reserves where he serves each year.[1]

Education and academic career

Hendel studied history at Tel Aviv University where he got his PhD. His thesis was entitled: "Intelligence techniques in the Ancient World - from the Hasmonean Revolt to the Bar Kochba Revolt." He served as a research fellow at the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University and at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies at Bar Ilan University, and published several studies focusing on Israeli intelligence, the Second Lebanon War and guerrilla warfare tactics. From 2009 to 2011 he taught courses on terrorism and guerrilla warfare at Bar-Ilan University's Political Science Department.[1]

Personal life

Hendel is married with four children, and lives in Nes Harim.[1]

Career

Hendel is a military historian who specializes in low intensity conflict and intelligence. He is a senior military and diplomatic commentator for the Israeli newspapers Yedioth Ahronoth, and was a military correspondent for Makor Rishon and presented a talk show for the IDF Radio.[2]

Together with Zaki Shalom, a professor at Ben Gurion University, he wrote the book Let the IDF Win: The Self-Fulfilling Slogan [3] on the Al Aqsa Intifada and the struggle against terror which came out in September 2010. In March 2011 Israel vs. Iran - War of Shadows, co-authored by Hendel with Jerusalem Post military correspondent Yaakov Katz was published in Hebrew, followed by the English translation a year later. The book evaluates the threat to Israel’s security posed by a nuclear Iran, and analyzes Israel’s military and diplomatic options as well as intelligence analysis since the Second Lebanon War of 2006.[4] The authors argue that Israel's war against Libanon in 2006 and Operation Cast Lead against the Gaza Strip in 2008/09 were surrogate wars against Iran.[5]

In August 2011 Hendel was appointed Director of Communications and Public Diplomacy for Prime Minister Netanyahu.[6] He resigned only seven months later on 21 February 2012, after Netanyahu told him he had lost confidence in him for having informed the Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein over his head about a sexual harassment case of the Prime Minister's bureau chief Natan Eshel which led to an investigation by the Civil Service Commission and Eshel's resignation.[7] Hendel and Cabinet Secretary Zvi Hauser, who was also reprimanded by Netanyahu for the same reason, told Netanyahu that they had not updated him in order to not implicate him in the affair.[8] In October 2012, Hendel was awarded the title of "Knight of Quality Government 2012" in the Maintenance of Government Quality and Integrity Category by the Movement for Quality Government in Israel,[9] for revealing the scandal.[10]

In May 2012 Hendel was appointed head of the Institute for Zionist Strategies (IZS).[1]

Hendel describes himself as a liberal nationalist.[11] In November 2012 his name was mentioned as a top candidate for elections in 2013.[10] He then wrote in his weekly column in Yediot Aharonot that he was offered a position by two parties including one on Tzipi Livni's list, and that he refused for ideological reasons.

In March 2013 the IZS (the Institute for Zionist Strategies), with Hendel as chairman, announced the establishment of a human rights organization called The Blue and White Human Rights Association. Hendel argues in his columns that the real right to the Land of Israel is accompanied by a moral debt. During the establishment conference, it was argued that Zionism is not a monopoly of the right and human rights are not a monopoly of the left. The organization intends to operate at the crossings checkpoints where the IDF is present, to assist at points of friction, in schools to educate on the importance of purity of arms and with the help of a group of physicians, to provide free medical treatment regardless of religion, race or sex. Unlike other human rights organizations operating in the territories, the policy is not to provide information to the media about human rights violations, but to give the information to the army's authorized investigations. The human rights organization by Hendel deals with public relations on behalf of Israel, and presents the "efforts and the great moral advantage" of the Zionist movement.[12]

Bibliography

Articles

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "CV Dr Yoaz Hendel". The Institute for Zionist Strategies. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Bulletin. The Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies" (PDF). The Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies. September 2011. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  3. ↑ Cesana, Shlomo (11 August 2011). "PMO gets new spokesman. Journalist and commentator Dr. Yoaz Hendel slated to take over as head of National Information Directorate". Israel Hayom. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  4. ↑ "Israel vs. Iran - War of Shadows". Potomac Books. 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  5. ↑ "Israel vs. Iran - War of Shadows" (PDF). Potomac Books. 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  6. ↑ Herb Keinon (11 August 2011). "Yoaz Hendel named chief media adviser to PM". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  7. ↑ Herb Keinon (21 April 2012). "Hendel: Eshel case involved sexual harassment". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  8. ↑ Barak Ravid (21 February 2012). "Senior official at Netanyahu's office to resign following Eshel affair". Haaretz. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  9. ↑ "Knights of Quality Government 2012". The Movement for Quality Government in Israel. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  10. 1 2 Mitch Ginsburg (3 December 2012). "The party born at a hitchhiking spot". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  11. ↑ Yoaz Hendel (7 March 2013). "Letter to the prime minister". YNetnews. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  12. ↑ Barak Ravid (14 March 2013). "New Israeli organization aims to be first right-wing Palestinian rights watchdog". Haaretz. Retrieved 29 July 2013.

External links

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