Many of us have wondered from afar how Israel has achieved the military technological leadership

in the world and power that it has. And many of us have hoped from afar that it can continue to sustain this military edge

and what is an ever-present set of dangers and challenges that Israel faces.

Well, finally we have the book and an important book that gives us an account of how this

happened, why it happened, who made it happened, and why it really matters.

I'm really privileged to be joined tonight with Yaakov Katz.

Yaakov is the editor, a recent, relatively recent.

Ten months.

That's still recent, I guess.

Editor of the Jerusalem Post, he was for many years, close to a decade, their military

reporter and chief defense analyst.

He wrote another book before this called Israel versus Iran, The Shadow War.

He spent some time both at Harvard University and in the Israeli government, you can ask

him later which of those institutions tested his sanity more.

And now he's returned to his true vocation as a journalist, as an editor, and as an author

of this important book.

As you came to understand it, what really explains the Israeli achievement and the

really difference?

How did it become this tiny little nation such a unique and powerful military nation?

Well, first of all, I just want to say a big thank you to Eric and to the chairman of the Tikva Fund,

Roger Hurtug, and to all of you for being here this evening and for coming. I appreciate it.

I know you could be doing something else, so it means a lot to me that you're out here.

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