Shin Bet
The Israel Security Agency (ISA) or General Security Agency, known in Hebrew as Shabak (an abbreviation for Sherut ha-Bitachon ha-Klali) or Shin Bet, is the Israeli counterintelligence and internal security service.[1]
History
the Shin Bet was founded as Israel's domestic security service in June 1948, when the new state's intelligence community was organised out of Shai, the intelligence wing of the Haganah militia.[2]
Bus 300 Affair
In 1984, two detained Palestinian hijackers were beaten to death by agents in what became known as the Bus 300 Affair. A government report later revealed that the Shin Bet chief at the time, Avraham Shalom, had ordered the two Palestinians killed and them attempted to cover this up.[3]
Izzat Nafsu case
In 1987, Shin Bet was found to have extracted a false confession of espionage from an Israeli army officer Izzat Nafsu, who had been imprisoned for 18 years.[4]
Rabin Assassination
Following the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin by a right-wing extremist in 1995, the head of Shin Bet, Carmi Gillon resigned.[5]
Structure and Personnel
Shin Bet has three operational departments and five for operational support.[6]
Directors
- Isser Harel 1948-52
- Izi Dorot 1952-53
- Amos Manor 1953-63
- Yosef Harmelin 1964-74, 1986-88
- Avraham Ahituv 1974-80
- Avraham Ben-Dor 1980-86
- Yaakov Peri 1988-94
- Carmi Gillon 1995-96
- Ami Ayalon 1996-2000
- Avi Dichter 2000-05[7]
- Yuval Diskin 2005[8]-2011
- Yoram Cohen 2011-[9]
Deputy Directors
- Amos Manor 1952-1953[10]
- Yosef Harmelin 1960-1964.[11]
- Reuven Hazak c.1985.[12]
- Yaakov Peri 1987-1988[13]
- Avi Dichter 1999-2000.[14]
- Nadav Argaman c.2013Cite error: Closing
</ref>missing for<ref>tag Given Avraham Ben-Dor's move from head of operations to head of security in 1972, it is possible that security became an independent division at some point.
- Avraham Ben-Dor 1959-c.1972[15]
Arab Affairs
The department of Arab Affairs is responsible for counter-terrorism, counter-subversion and monitoring 'Arab militants'. Its Henza detachments work with Aman Mista'averim units in occupied territories and some neighboring states.[6]
- Avraham Ahituv, head c.1967.[16]
Non-Arab Affairs
The department of Non-Arab Affairs has a wider counter-intelligence role which includes monitoring immigrants and foreign diplomatic missions.[6] At one time its was divided into communist and non-communist departments.[17] It's role includes responsibility for the Jewish Division.[18]
- Amos Manor, head c.1950.[10]
- "K" - c.2010.[19]
Jewish Division
The Jewish division is responsible for investigating subversive activity by far right Jewish militants.[20]
- Avigdor Arieli - alleged to be head of the Jewish Division c.2010.[21]
Protective Security
The protective security department is responsible for protecting strategic infrastructure and for the El Al airline.[6]
- Avraham Ben-Dor 1972-c.1980[15]
- Peleg Radai c.1985.[12]
- Avi Dichter 1996-1999.[14]
- Doron Bergerbest c.2004.[22]
Support Divisions
Support branch departments have included administration, interrogation and legal counsel, technology, co-ordination and planning, and logistics.[23]
Administrative Division
- Carmi Gillon 1993-1994.[24]
Training Division
- Yaakov Peri, head 1975-1978.[13]
Miscellaneous Staff
- Reuven Paz former head of Research
- Alan Moss - head of international relations, c.2009.[25]
- Col. Nir Press - Shin Bet attendee, Rafah Security Working Group, 2007.[26]
- "Shimon" - advisor to NSC Counterterrorism Bureau Director General, c.2006.[27]
- Szymon Rosenberg, Shin Bet representative at 2006 meeting between National Security Advisor and US diplomat Henry Crumpton. [28]
- Arnon Vinceze - liaison officer, c.2004.[29]
- Ilan Kosanivich - liaison officer, c.2004.[29]
- Yekutiel Hadar Former Chief Legal Counsel for the Northern District[30]
- Peri Golan - former director of the agency's counter-terrorism division, later head of its southern region.[30]
- Nechama Aloni - former desk researcher, Aloni in charge of liaising between the Israeli intelligence services and the U.S. Department of Justice during the course of several counter-terrorism investigations, notably on the finances of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.[30]
External Resources
- BBC Online Profile: Israel's Shin Bet agency Wednesday, 30 January, 2002, 14:41 GMT.
- Palestinian And Israeli Security Cooperation, US Embassy Tel Aviv, 1 November 2006, published by Wikileaks, 1 September 2011.
- Idf Southern Command And Shin Bet Briefings On Gaza For Codel Gillibrand, Us Embassy Tel Aviv, 16 September 2009, published by Wikileaks, 1 September 2011.
- Israeli Security Services Arrest "jewish Terrorist", US Embassy, 2 November 2009, published by Wikileaks, 1 September 2011.
- Hamas Facing Severe Funding Shortages, US Embassy Tel Aviv, 6 November 2009, published by Wikileaks, 1 September 2011.
- Six Palestinian Authority Intelligence Personnel Detained, Then Released By Idf, US Consulate Jerusalem, 23 November 2009, published by Wikileaks, 1 September 2011.
- Israel Defends December 26 Nablus Raid, US Embassy Tel Aviv, 29 December 2009, published by Wikileaks, 1 September 2011.
- Shin Bet Talks Gaza Economics, US Embassy Tel Aviv, 22 February 2010, unredacted version published by Wikileaks, 8 September 1011.
- Amos Harel, Shin Bet applied 'legitimate' methods to probe Jewish terrorist, security sources say, Haaretz, 15 July 2010.
- Samuel Burke, Six Israeli security chiefs stun the world, Amanpour, CNN.com, 28 January 2012.
Notes
- ↑ Shabak/Shin Bet/Israel Security Agency/Sherut ha-Bitachon ha-Klali, Federation of American Scientists, accessed 9 May 2009.
- ↑ Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Every Spy a Prince: The Secret History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, pp.16-18.
- ↑ Profile: Israel's Shin Bet agency Wednesday, 30 January, 2002.
- ↑ Profile: Israel's Shin Bet agency Wednesday, 30 January, 2002.
- ↑ Profile: Israel's Shin Bet agency Wednesday, 30 January, 2002.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Paul Todd and Jonathan Bloch, Global Intelligence: The World's Secret Services Today, Zed Books, 2003, p.153.
- ↑ ISA Directors Then and Now, ISA Security Agency (Shin Bet), accessed 9 April 2009.
- ↑ Yuval Diskin appointed ISA Director, Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 10 February 2005.
- ↑ Netanyahu appoints Yoram Cohen as Israel's next Shin Bet chief, Haaretz, 28 March 2011.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Efrat Weiss, Former Shin Bet chief Amos Manor dies, age 89, Ynet, 5 August 2007.
- ↑ Yosef Harmelin, Israel Security Agency, accessed 24 July 2012.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Every Spy a Prince: The Secret History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, p.284.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Yaakov Peri, Israel Security Agency, accessed 24 July 2012.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Avid Dichter, Israel Security Agency, accessed 24 July 2012
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Avraham (Shalom) Ben-Dor , 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.169.
- ↑ Profile: Israel's Shin Bet agency Wednesday, 30 January, 2002.
- ↑ Tomer Zarchin and Amos Harel, Shin Bet deputy suspended for role in lover's promotion, Haaretz, 9 June 2010.
- ↑ Tomer Zarchin and Amos Harel, Shin Bet deputy suspended for role in lover's promotion, Haaretz, 9 June 2010.
- ↑ J.J. Goldberg, IDF Probe: Troops' Hands Tied Controlling Rightist Jewish Extremism, forward.com, 27 June 2011.
- ↑ Richard Silverstein, Jewish Terrorist, Charged With Multiple Palestinian Murders, ‘Outs’ Chief of Shin Bet’s Jewish Terror Department, Tikun Olam, 16 July 2010.
- ↑ Israeli Security Services Tell Codel Talent That Interagency Connectivity Is Key In The Fight Against Terror, US Embassy Tel Aviv, 21 December 2004, published by Wikileaks, 1 September 2011.
- ↑ Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Every Spy a Prince: The Secret History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, p.50.
- ↑ Carmi Gillon, Israel Security Agency, accessed 24 July 2012.
- ↑ Deputy Secretary Raises Transit Of Gaza Students With Shin Bet: Followup, US Embassy Tel Aviv, 11 December 2009, published by Wikileaks, 1 September 2011.
- ↑ Rafah Security Working Group Meeting, US Consulate Jerusalem, 19 April 2007, published by Wikileaks, 1 September 2011.
- ↑ Israeli Ct Officials Discuss Israel-hizballah War, U.s.-israel Ct Cooperation, US Embassy Tel Aviv, 19 September 2006, unredacted publication by Wikileaks, 8 September 2011.
- ↑ Jcg: Israel Nsc's 2/23 Session With S/ct Amb. Crumpton, US Embassy Tel Aviv, 17 March, 2006, unredacted publication by Wikileaks, 8 September 2011.
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 Goi Info On Ramallah Bank Raid, US Embassy Tel Aviv, 5 March 2004, published by Wikileaks, 1 September 2011.
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 Mann Mairone's private anti-terrorist squad, Intelligence Online, 8 April 2010.
