Israel Ministry of Defense; IDF and Defense Establishment Archives (IDFA)

Overview

The Israel Defense Forces and Defense Establishment Archives (IDFA) is Israel's central military and security archive and the country's largest archive overall. Founded in July 1948 during Israel's War of Independence, it is administered by Israel's Ministry of Defense and serves as the official repository for the documentation of Israel's defense establishment, both historical and administrative.

History and Founding

The IDFA was established in July 1948, in the immediate aftermath of Israel's declaration of independence and during the first Arab-Israeli War. Its founding mission was to document and preserve the records of the newly formed Israel Defense Forces. Because IDFA holds materials in areas beyond strictly military affairs — including medicine, education, economics, and social topics — it is considered essential to preserving the collective memory and defense legacy of Israeli society. Israel's archival system is based in part on a German professional archival model. The archive operates under the Archives Law and its associated access regulations, with a general classified period of 50 years for IDF and defense establishment records before public access.

Collections and Holdings

The IDFA stores photographs, maps, posters, audiovisual materials, and written materials documenting the history and operations of the Israel Defense Forces from 1948 to the present. Critically, IDFA and its subsidiaries also hold documentation of pre-state Jewish military organizations including the Haganah, Lehi, and Hashomer, as well as a dedicated collection on Jewish soldiers who served in various world armies. The Haganah Historical Archives (HHA) is a subsection of the IDFA holding records of the Jewish armed forces up to 1948. The archive is estimated to contain millions of files; Israel holds approximately 17 million files across its two most important archives (IDFA and the Israel State Archives). Access to only a very small portion of IDFA's holdings is currently open to the public due to security classification requirements.

Access and Usage

Access to IDFA materials is governed by the Archives Law, which generally seals IDF and defense records for 50 years. As of recent reporting, the IDFA has opened approximately one percent of its records to public access. Researchers may apply for access to specific declassified records through the archive or through the Ministry of Defense portal. Physical access is subject to security clearance requirements.