It’s no secret to anyone that the military dominates Israeli discourse, particularly during a war that has lasted over two years.
But there is more to the Israeli defense sector than just the IDF.
The Jewish state is a major hub of defense tech firms, from the major companies like Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Elbit to small start-ups with big goals and aspirations.
It’s this spirit of innovation that led to the development of the greatest tools in the Jewish state’s arsenal, such as the Iron Dome and David’s Sling, the Iron Beam, and groundbreaking developments in satellite communications.
Here at The Jerusalem Post, Anna Ahronheim is our expert in this field. As editor of the Defense & Tech section and a veteran military reporter, she has a keen understanding of all levels of the defense sector, from development to marketing to the battlefield.
The Israel-Hamas War may have just ended, but as it served as a showcase for Israeli defense innovation, the spotlight on these companies and products has never been brighter.
In Jerusalem sat down with Ahronheim to talk all about it.
What brought you to Israel?
I came to Israel initially to do my Master’s degree at IDC Herzliya (now Reichmann University) in Counterterrorism and Homeland Security.
What made you interested in journalism?
I was always reading and listening to the news, growing up. I remember my parents reading the newspaper while we ate breakfast, and we listened to the news a lot on the radio, too.
After my degree, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, and by chance an old friend who I studied Arabic with told me of an opening at i24NEWS, which had just started broadcasting the year before.
I joined the desk, and Islamic State soon after began its violent takeover of towns in Syria and Iraq before announcing its caliphate. I started focusing on the group and later expanded my beat to focus on regional defense issues, including the IDF.
What brought you to the paper?
I joined the Post after realizing that I don’t particularly enjoy being on TV and would rather focus on print (and digital).
What is it like editing the Defense & Tech portal?
I really enjoy being able to speak with the smaller defense tech start-ups that have understood that now is the time for them to bring innovative technology to the field. Speaking with people who are inventing tech that literally seems like science fiction is incredible.
What’s something about working in journalism most people don’t realize?
I think it’s the best job in the world. There’s not one day that’s the same as the other. I’m never in the office, because I’m always driving to different places to interview people and try new tech. It can also be incredibly stressful because you want the story to be told in the best way possible.
What’s one of your favorite anecdotes from your career thus far?
Wow, that’s a hard one. I’ve been a journalist for about 10 years (though I left the industry for two years to try my hand at corporate life).
I don’t know if it’s the week where I traveled to the northern Israel border to cover a story on Hezbollah, then to the Gaza border to cover a story on Hamas, and then to the Egyptian border for a story on drug smuggling, and then the Jordanian border – tachlis, all the borders in one week. Or if it was interviewing a former IDF chief of staff who quoted Mr. Big from Sex and the City during an interview. Or if it was joining Benny Gantz on a trip to Bahrain while he was defense minister.
There are just too many. That’s why journalism is just the best job ever. You go places and speak with people that you would never have imagined.
What advice do you have for any aspiring journalists out there?
Keep at it. We have a mission to tell the story as best we can. We have to be accurate and engaging. It’s such an important job. And have fun!