Naftali Granot
Naftali Granot is a former Mossad officer who resigned as Deputy head of the organisation in 2007.[1] These details would appear to fit that of the Mossad officer described in the Israeli media with the cryptonym N.[2]
Head of Tzomet
N is a former head of Tzomet, Mossad's agent-running department. During this time, he had difficult relations with Mossad chief Meir Dagan because of Dagan's demand for quicker agent recruitment.[3]
Deputy head of Mossad
N was nevertheless appointed deputy head of Mossad in 2005. At the time Haaretz intelligence correspondent Yossi Melman reported that doubt could be case on the appointment because "Some of his colleagues say that N. is "wily and manipulative", but added that he was a skilled collection agent.[3]
Amir Oren wrote in 2007 of N's record:
- In recent years N. excelled in two particular tasks he was assigned - the diplomatic efforts against Iran's nuclear ambitions, and intelligence on Hezbollah. Under N. the relations between Mossad and the IDF also improved. Traditionally, the relationship between the Mossad and Military Intelligence has been tense.
- The working relations between Dagan and N. had been considered to be good, but they hit a wall of late. Last week the Mossad head and his deputy concluded that they can no longer continue performing as a team.[2]
N was seen as a potential successor to Dagan, until this falling out led to his resignation in in 2007. According to Amir Oren, there were differing accounts as to whether Dagan or N himself initiated his departure.[2]
Notes
- ↑ Amir Oren, Deputy Mossad chief resigns amid apparent internal squabbles, Haaretz, 29 June 2009.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Amir Oren, Mossad deputy chief N. quits after spat with boss Dagan, Haaretz, 25 June 2007.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Yossi Melman, Returning the Mossad to its basics, Haaretz, 15 November 2005.
