Ein Brera

Ein Brera, meaning "no alternative" in Hebrew, is a doctrine deeply ingrained in Israeli strategic thought. It reflects the belief that Israel is surrounded by implacable enemies and therefore has no choice but to take decisive action, often preemptively, to ensure its survival. This concept was particularly prevalent among Israelis who were survivors of the Holocaust, who saw parallels between historical persecution and the perceived threats from Arab nations.¹

David Ben-Gurion repeatedly warned that Israel's only security would come through self-defense and self-reliance, articulating the core of the ein brera fears. Ernst David Bergmann explicitly articulated these fears in a letter, stating his conviction that the State of Israel needed its own defense research program to avoid being "as lambs led to the slaughter."¹

For many Israelis, a nuclear arsenal became essential to the survival of the state, embodying the ein brera doctrine by providing an ultimate deterrent against existential threats.¹