Mossad
Mossad (Hebrew for Institute) is an abbreviation for ha-Mossad le-Modiin ule-Tafkidim Meyuhadim (Institute for Intelligence and Special Tasks), an Israeli intelligence agency focused on foreign intelligence.[1] In English, Mossad officers are known to use the term ISIS (Israel Secret Intelligence Service).[2]
Structure and Personnel
According to intelligence writers Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Mossad has historically had eight departments: Collection, Operational Planning and Co-ordination, Research, Political Action and Liason, Training, Finance and Manpower, Technology, and Technical Operations.[3] Paul Todd and Jonathan Bloch also state that Mossad has eight departments, but cite some which Melman and Raviv do not list such as psychological warfare.[4]
Directors
- Reuven Shiloah 1949-1952
- Isser Harel 1953-1963
- Meir Amit 1963-1968
- Zvi Zamir 1968-1974
- Itzhak Hofi 1974-1982
- Nahum Admoni 1982-1989
- Shabtai Shavit 1989-1996
- Dani Yatom 1996-1998
- Efraim Halevi 1998-2002
- Meir Dagan 2002[5]-2010
- Tamir Pardo 2010-[6]
Deputy Director
- Izi Dorot 1953-1963[7]
- David Kimche c.1980[8]
- Nahum Admoni c.1982[9]
- Menahem Navot c.1982[10]
- Shabtai Shavit 1986-1989.[11]
- Efraim Halevi 1990-95[12]
- Aliza Magen c.1997.[13]
- Amiram Levin 1998-2000[14]
- Ilan Mizrahi c.2003[15]
- Tamir Pardo - 2002-2005[16]
- Naftali Granot - 2005[17]-2007[18]
- Tamir Pardo - 2007-2009.[19]
- Mossad Officer R -2011
- Yossi Cohen 2011-[20]-2013[21]
Tzomet - collection department
The collection department has lead responsibility for espionage, with field officers operating under official and non-official cover around the world.[4]
- Rehavia Vardi - Head c.1973.[22]
- Avi Dagan
- Ilan Mizrahi - c.1997[13]
- Naftali Granot -2005
- Yossi Cohen 2005-[18]
Caesarea or Metsada - operations department
The special operations division is responsible for covert actions such as sabotage, assassinations and paramilitary operations. According to Todd and Bloch it is known as 'Metsada'.[4] According to the New York Times, the Kidon assassination unit is reputed to have been established within it in the 1970s.[23]
- Peter Zvi Malkin c.1960s[24]
- Rafi Eitan c.1972.[25]
- Mike Harari c.1972.[26]
- Shabtai Shavit 1980-c.1986.[11]
- Tamir Pardo 1988-c.1992.[19]
- Haggai Hadas c.1997[27]
Tevel - political action and liaison department
The political action and liaison department is responsible for liaison with friendly foreign intelligence agencies, and back-channel diplomacy with states with which Israel does not have official relations.[4]
- Yaakov Karoz c.1963.[28]
- Yoram Hessel[29]
- Itzik Barzilai c.1997[13]
- Mossad Officer D c.2005.[18]
- David Meidan c.2007.[30]
Lohama Psichologit - psychological operations department
Responsible for briefing friendly journalists and media spin. Works with Metsada on psyops.[4]
Research department
Responsible for analysis and publications, including reports, open source and daily intelligence summaries.[4]
According to Paul Todd and Jonathan Bloch, it has fifteen geographical desks. They include: United States, Canada and Western Europe, Latin America, Former Soviet territories, China, Africa, the Maghreb, Libya, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf, and Iran. (Since they name fourteen desks, the missing one may be Egypt). There is also a dedicated section covering weapons of mass destruction.[4]
Technology Department
Responsible for Mossad's own technological base, such as computers.[4]
Operations
- Operation Magic Carpet Yemen and Aden
- Operation Ezra and Nehemia Iraq
- Operation Mural Morocco
- Operation Yakhin Morocca
- Operation Susannah (Lavon Affair) Egypt
- Operation Moses Ethiopia
External Resources
- Nir Mann, Period piece, Haaretz, 27 August 2010.
- Ulrike Putz, Sabotaging Iran's Nuclear Program: Mossad Behind Tehran Assassinations, Says Source, SpiegelOnline, 2 August 2011.
- Mark Perry, False Flag, Foreign Policy, 13 January 2012.
See also
Shin Bet | LEKEM | Nativ | Misgeret | Aman | Unit 8200
Notes
- ↑ Mossad, Federation of American Scientists, accessed 14 May 2009.
- ↑ Amir Oren, The cult of ISIS, Haaretz, 27 June 2002.
- ↑ Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Every Spy a Prince: The Secret History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, p.135.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Paul Todd and Jonathan Bloch, Global Intelligence: The World's Secret Services Today, Zed Books, 2003, pp.152-153.
- ↑ About Us - Directors, Mossad, accessed 14 May 2009.
- ↑ Yossi Melman, Who is new Mossad chief Tamir Pardo, Haaretz, 29 November 2010.
- ↑ Izi Dorot, Israel Security Agency, accessed 24 July 2012.
- ↑ Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Every Spy a Prince: The Secret History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, p.258.
- ↑ Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Every Spy a Prince: The Secret History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, p.269.
- ↑ Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Every Spy a Prince: The Secret History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, p.272.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Yossi Melman, Meir Javedanfar, The Nuclear Sphinx of Tehran, Basic Books, 2008, p.154.
- ↑ Efraim Halevy, Us Middle East Project Inc., accessed 24 July 2012.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Yossi Melman, Returning to the scene of the crime, Haaretz, 25 September 2007.
- ↑ Major General (Res.) Amiram Levin, Former Deputy Mossad Chief,, Bloomberg, 11 May 2009.
- ↑ Aluf Benn and Yossi Melman, Ilan Mizrahi, former deputy Mossad chief, to head NSC, Haaretz, 7 May 2006.
- ↑ Yossi Melman, Who is new Mossad chief Tamir Pardo?, Haaretz, 29 November 2010.
- ↑ Amir Oren, Mossad deputy chief N. quits after spat with boss Dagan, Haaretz, 25 June 2007.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Yossi Melman, Returning the Mossad to its basics, Haaretz, 15 November 2005.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Attila Somfalvi, Tamir Pardo named new Mossad chief, ynetnews.com, 29 November 2010.
- ↑ Ronen Bergman, Mossad chief names new deputy, ynetnews.com, 5 June 2011.
- ↑ Herb Keinon, PM names deputy Mossad head as new National Security council chief, Jerusalem Post, 21 August 2013.
- ↑ Uri Bar-Joseph, The Watchman Fell Asleep: The Surprise Of Yom Kippur And Its Sources, SUNY Press, 2005, p.48.
- ↑ Bruce Weber, Michael Harari, Israeli Agent Likened to James Bond, Dies at 87, New York Times, 27 September 2014.
- ↑ Israel Line, Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 3 March 2005.
- ↑ Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Every Spy a Prince: The Secret History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, p.253.
- ↑ Yossi Melman, Targeted killings - a retro fashion very much in vogue, Haaretz, 24 March 2004.
- ↑ Yoav Limor, Yori Yalon, Yael Branovsky and Israel Hayom Staff, Former Mossad official to head efforts against African infiltrators, Israel Hayom, 30 August 2012.
- ↑ Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Every Spy a Prince: The Secret History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, p.129.
- ↑ Amir Oren, We can sell, but you can't, Haaretz, 17 April 2007.
- ↑ Yossi Melman, Get ready for some Mossad resignations, Haaretz, 21 April 2011.
- ↑ Amir Oren, Insider info on Netanyahu's office shows Israel may be in untrustworthy hands, Haaretz, 4 March 2012.
