Yossi (Joseph) Alpher (Hebrew: יוסי אלפר) is an Israeli columnist and writer on Israel-related Middle East strategic issues.

Alpher is best known as the author of the prize winning Periphery: Israel's Search for Middle East Allies, as well as coeditor of Bitterlemons in collaboration with Ghassan Khatib, a former vice president of Bir Zeit University.

[1] Alpher graduated from Columbia University in 1964 before serving in the Israel Defense Forces as an Intelligence officer,[2] followed by service in the Mossad.

From 1995 to 2000 he served as director of the American Jewish Committee's Israel/Middle East Office in Jerusalem.

Alpher writes Hard Questions, Tough Answers, a weekly security Q&A for Americans for Peace Now.