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 focussed on foreign intelligence.[1]
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.[2] Paul Todd and Jonathan Bloch also state that MOssad has eight departments, but cite some which Melman do not list such as psychological warfare.[3]
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[4]-2010
- Tamir Pardo 2010-[5]
Deputy Director
- Izi Dorot 1953-1963[6]
- Shabtai Shavit 1986-1989.[7]
- Efraim Halevi[8]
- Ilan Mizrahi c.2003.[9]
- Tamir Pardo - 2002-2005[10]
- Tamir Pardo - 2007-2009.[11]
Tzomet - collection department
The collection department has lead responsibility for espionage, with field officers operating under official and non-official cover around the world.[3]
- Rehavia Vardi - Head c.1973.[12]
Caesarea or Metsada - operations department
The special operations division is responsible for covert actions such as sabotage, assinations and paramilitary operations. According to Todd and Bloch it is known as 'Metsada'.[3]
- Rafi Eitan c.1972.[13]
- Mike Harari c.1972.[14]
- Shabtai Shavit 1980-c.1986.[7]
- Tamir Pardo 1988-c.1992.[11]
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.[3]
- Yaakov Karoz c.1963.[15]
Lohama Psichologit - psychological operations department
Responsible for beriefing friendly journalists and media spin. Works with Metsada on psyops.[3]
Research department
Responsible for analysis and publications, including reports, open source and daily intelligence summaries.[3]
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.[3]
Technology Department
Responsible for Mossad's own technological base, such as computers.[3]
External Resources
- Mark Perry, False Flag, Foreign Policy, 13 January 2012.
Notes
- ↑ Mossad, Federation of American Scientists, accessed 14 May 2009.
- ↑ Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Every Spy a Prince: The Secret History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, p.135.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 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.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 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.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Attila Somfalvi, Tamir Pardo named new Mossad chief, ynetnews.com, 29 November 2010.
- ↑ Uri Bar-Joseph, The Watchman Fell Asleep: The Surprise Of Yom Kippur And Its Sources, SUNY Press, 2005, p.48.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Every Spy a Prince: The Secret History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, p.129.
- ↑ Amir Oren, Insider info on Netanyahu's office shows Israel may be in untrustworthy hands, Haaretz, 4 March 2012.
