Orna Mizrahi

Senior Researcher

INSS - The Institute for National Security Studies, Israel

Orna Mizrahi is a Senior Researcher at The Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) in Tel-Aviv, Israel (from 2018).

She is a Former Deputy National Security Adviser for Foreign Policy at the Israeli NSC (National Security Council) in the Prime Minister's Office (2015 –2018).

Orna was serving at the Israeli NSC for 12 years (2004-2007; 2009 -2018) in diverse positions. In her last duty she was leading the strategic planning on regional and international policy on behalf of the NSC for the Prime Minister and the Israeli Cabinet.

Orna joined the NSC after a long military career in the IDF. She is Lt. Colonel (Rtd.) and served in the IDF for 26 years as:

• Analyst in the Intelligence Analysis Division of the Military Intelligence (1979-1991; 2000-2003).
• Senior officer in the Strategic Planning Division of the IDF (1991-2000).

Areas of Expertise:

• Israel's national security policy;
• Politico – Military strategic planning;
• The decision-making process in Israel;
• Israel's policy on the Palestinian file and the negotiation with the Palestinians (Orna was personally involved in the negotiation during her career in the IDF and the NSC).
• The developments in the Middle East;
• Arab- Israeli relations.

Education - M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies (magna cum laude) from Tel Aviv University ;B.A. in Middle Eastern History (Tel Aviv University) ;and an additional B.A. in General History and the Bible (Tel Aviv University) .

In some of her duties in the army and in the NSC, Orna broke the glass ceiling as the first woman in what was considered as "men job". She is an active member of the "Deborah Forum" (nonprofit association for women in National Security and Foreign Policy).