Efraim Inbar (born January 22, 1947) is an Israeli political scientist and prominent expert in international relations and strategic studies, renowned for his hawkish, conservative views on Israel's national security and Middle East policy. He is the founding director of the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies (BESA), which he led from 1993 until 2016, having co-founded it with Yaakov Amidror; the center is located at Bar-Ilan University (now also associated with Reichman University). Currently, he serves as president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security (JISS), a non-partisan think tank established in 2017 to provide strategic policy recommendations for Israel. His work focuses on Middle Eastern politics and geopolitics, Israeli defense strategy, and counter-terrorism, often advocating for strong military postures against threats from Iran, Hezbollah, and Palestinian groups. He has authored numerous publications analyzing Israel's security challenges from the 1973 Yom Kippur War (also known as the October War) to recent conflicts like the Second Lebanon War (also called the Second Lebanese War). Inbar's ideology aligns with conservative Israeli perspectives, criticizing concessions to Palestinians and supporting alliances with Sunni Arab states against Iran, with his endorsements and advisory roles to Benjamin Netanyahu highlighting his role in shaping conservative strategic discourse in Israel.

Inbar is a professor emeritus of political studies at Bar-Ilan University. His academic background includes a BA in Political Science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, followed by an MA and PhD in Political Science from the University of Chicago, completed in 1982. He served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as a paratrooper from 1965 to 1968. Throughout his career, he has held influential advisory roles in Israeli government committees on national security and education, including the Political Strategic Committee of the National Planning Council and chairing the Committee for the National Security Curriculum at the Ministry of Education.

Inbar is a member of international organizations such as the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the International Studies Association, and the Middle East Studies Association. He contributes to policy debates in Israel and internationally, frequently appears in media, lectures globally, consults on foreign policy matters, and maintains an active presence in academic and policy circles. He has testified before the United States Congress and contributed articles to outlets like The Jerusalem Post. His influence extends through professional networks, including collaborations with entities like the Jewish Institute for National Security of America and the Kohelet Policy Forum. He has been adversarial towards left-leaning figures such as Yossi Beilin and Ilan Pappe, coordinating against their views on Israeli policy. His career reflects a commitment to realist international relations theory, shaped by his academic background, military service, institutional roles, and deep ties to Israel's security establishment and intellectual circles.