Speakers at the event, Brigadier General (res) Dr. Chilik Soffer, former Head of the Civil Defense Department of the Home Front Command, Professor Bruria Adini, Head of Department of Emergency & Disaster Management at Tel Aviv University, Dr. Idit Shafran Gittleman, Senior Researcher at Institute for National Security Studies, and Mr. Gili Shenhar, Academic Coordinator of the Master Program in Disaster Management at Tel Aviv University, discussed what can NATO member countries learn from Israel in terms of individual and collective capacity to prepare for, resist, respond to and quickly recover from shocks and disruptions.

Resilience is referred to as capacity to successfully deal with a severe disruption (natural or man-made) – to maintain reasonable functional continuity during the event, recover from it as quickly as possible, and, after the threat is over, return to normal functioning. Resilient societies withstand a major shock such as a natural disaster, failure of critical infrastructure, or a hybrid or armed attack.

NATO considers resilience as both a national responsibility and a collective commitment. Civil preparedness is a central pillar of resilience and a critical enabler for the NATO collective defence. It has three core functions: continuity of government, continuity of essential services to the population and civil support to military operations. 

Coupled with the physical and emotional impact of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, Israel’s endurance depends not only on the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) but on the ability of the Israeli populace to bounce back. In Israel, resilience connotes a deep connection between the citizens and the viability of the nation. 

Understanding that there are factors that hinder resilience such as the polarizing political discourse, Israel is generally known for its high resilience. The resilience is part of Israeli existence. It takes many forms, from creating innovative environmental and technological solutions to organizing volunteers to provide help to people and organizations in need. The country’s ability to innovate in response to challenges is the cornerstone of Israel’s success.