IDF BG Ram Yavne Joins JINSA as Inaugural Visiting IDF Military Fellow with the Gemunder Center for Defense and Strategy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – JINSA announced today that Brigadier General Ram Yavne of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has joined JINSA’s Gemunder Center for Defense and Strategy as the inaugural Visiting IDF Military Fellow.

General Yavne has served in the IDF for 32 years. He served as the Head of the Strategic Division in the Planning Directorate of the IDF General Staff (J5) from 2015-2018. In this role, he was responsible for the IDF’s strategic planning and policy formulation, military diplomacy and international cooperation. He previously also served as the head of the Regional Strategy Department, the senior intelligence officer in the IDF’s Northern Command, and in other key intelligence positions.

In his last assignments, General Yavne dealt with politico-military issues concerning the different Middle East arenas inside the IDF, and participated in discussions with regional and international players, at the military, intelligence communities, foreign affairs, and NSC levels.

JINSA President and CEO Dr. Michael Makovsky said: “We’re thrilled to have BG Yavne join JINSA to inaugurate its Visiting IDF Military Fellow program. His expertise and excellent analytical ability on a range of Israeli security issues, including about Iran, Syria and Hezbollah, are extremely relevant, and we look forward to his writings and talks about these issues. His arrival also further augments JINSA activities to bolster the U.S.-Israel security relationship.”

General Yavne said: “After many years of working with JINSA while in the IDF, I am excited to join the organization. Many senior commanders in the IDF view JINSA as one of the most important and influential organizations working to advance the U.S.-Israel security relationship, and I am excited to help advance this important mission.”

Brigadier General Yavne holds a Master’s degree in Political Science and Bachelor’s degrees in Middle Eastern Studies and History from Haifa University, and he is a graduate of both the IDF Staff & Command College and the Israel National Defense College. He also received training under the auspices of the US Defense Intelligence Agency.