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]
Contents
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]
A meeting of the Varash committee of intelligence chiefs on 19 June 1967 gave Shin Bet responsibility for internal security in the occupied territories conquered in the Six Day War.[3]
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.[4]
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.[5]
Landau Commission
Following the Nafsu case a Commission was appointed under supreme court judge Moshe Landau to investigate the intelligence community and its methods. While the committee was deliberating a palestinian prisoner, Awad Hamdan, died in his cell under Shin Bet interrogation.[6]
The Commission found that Shin Bet had used "physical pressure" as a matter of course in the occupied territories, and had routinely lied to the courts during the directorships of Yosef Harmelin, Avraham Ahituv and Avraham Shalom.[7]
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.[8]
Structure and Personnel
Shin Bet has three operational departments and five for operational support.[9]
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[10]
- Yuval Diskin 2005[11]-2011
- Yoram Cohen 2011-[12]
Deputy Directors
- Amos Manor 1952-1953[13]
- Yosef Harmelin 1960-1964.[14]
- Reuven Hazak c.1985.[15]
- Yossi Ginossar c.1987.[16]
- Yaakov Peri 1987-1988[17]
- Gideon Ezra 1994-95.[18]
- Israel Hasson 1997-1999.
- Avi Dichter 1999-2000.[19]
- Nadav Argaman c.2013[20]
Operations Division
According to journalists Dan Raviv and Yossi Melman, the Operations Division in the early years of Shin Bet had three departments, Arab Affairs, Non-Arab Affairs, and Protective Security.[21] 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. [22]
- Avraham Ben-Dor 1959-c.1972[22]
- Uzi Berger - Date not known.[23]
- Rafi Malka - Date not known.[23]
- Ehud Yatom c.1984.[24]
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.[9]
- Avraham Ahituv, head c.1967.[25]
Non-Arab Affairs
The department of Non-Arab Affairs has a wider counter-intelligence role which includes monitoring immigrants and foreign diplomatic missions.[9] At one time its was divided into communist and non-communist departments.[26] It's role includes responsibility for the Jewish Division.[27]
- Amos Manor, head c.1950.[13]
- "K" - c.2010.[28]
Jewish Division
The Jewish division is responsible for investigating subversive activity by far right Jewish militants.[29]
- Carmi Gillon 1982-1987
- 'D' -c.2000-05[30]
- Avigdor Arieli - alleged to be head of the Jewish Division c.2010.[31]
Protective Security
The protective security department is responsible for protecting strategic infrastructure and for the El Al airline.[9]
Heads of Protective Security
- Avraham Ben-Dor 1972-c.1980[22]
- Savinoam Avivi - Date not known.[23]
- Peleg Radai c.1985.[15]
- Ehud Yatom.[32]
- Dror Yitzhaki c.1995.[33]
- Avi Dichter 1996-1999.[19]
- Doron Bergerbest c.2004.[34]
Deputy Heads of Protective Security
Heads of Protective Security in Europe
- Rafi Malka - Date not known.[23]
VIP Security Unit
- Benny Lahav - Head of VIP Security Unit c.1995.[33]
- 'A.T' - Head of the Unit c.1995.[33]
- Shlomo Harnoy - Head c.2003.[36]
- Haggai Tal Head of Operations c.1995.[33]
- 'A.E.' Head of Operations c.1995.[33]
- Dror Mor - Deputy Head of the Operations Unit and Head of the Foreign Bureau.[37]
El-Al Security
- Shmuel Sasson - former head of El-Al Security.[38]
Support Divisions
Support branch departments have included administration, interrogation and legal counsel, technology, co-ordination and planning, and logistics.[21]
Administrative Division
- Rafi Malka Date not known.[23]
- Ehud Yatom Date not known.[32]
- Carmi Gillon 1993-1994.[39]
Interrogation and Legal Counsel Division
- Zvi Aharoni c.1956
- Victor Cohen c.1959
Legal Advisors
Training Division
- Yaakov Peri, head 1975-1978.[17]
- Carmi Gillon, head 1989-1990.
- 'A.B' c.1995.[33]
Regional Commands
Northern Command
- Yaakov Peri 1978-1981
Central Command
- Possibly Avraham Ben-Dor 1952-1954
- Yaakov Peri 1981-1987
Southern Command
- Avi Dichter 1992-1996
Miscellaneous Staff
- Reuven Paz former head of Research
- Alan Moss - head of international relations, c.2009.[40]
- Col. Nir Press - Shin Bet attendee, Rafah Security Working Group, 2007.[41]
- "Shimon" - advisor to NSC Counterterrorism Bureau Director General, c.2006.[42]
- Szymon Rosenberg, Shin Bet representative at 2006 meeting between National Security Advisor and US diplomat Henry Crumpton. [43]
- Arnon Vinceze - liaison officer, c.2004.[44]
- Ilan Kosanivich - liaison officer, c.2004.[44]
- Yekutiel Hadar Former Chief Legal Counsel for the Northern District[45]
- Peri Golan - former director of the agency's counter-terrorism division, later head of its southern region.[45]
- 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.[45]
- Ronit Ashkenazi - Head of Education.[33]
- Shabtai Ziv - Legal adviser.[33]
- Y.S. Head of Yitzhak Rabin's protection team.[33]
- Yoram Rubin - Yitzhak Rabin's bodyguard.[33]
- Lior Akerman - Former division chief.[46]
- Dan Vesely - Former head of the Vetting Division, Human Resources Department.[47]
- Oded Raz - Former head of Cyber-terrorism Unit.[48]
- Amir Takomi[49]
- Ami Golan[50]
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.
- Amira Hass, 'Shin Bet tortures prisoners and denies access to lawyers', Haaretz, 28 December 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.
- ↑ Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Every Spy a Prince: The Secret History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, p.168.
- ↑ Profile: Israel's Shin Bet agency Wednesday, 30 January, 2002.
- ↑ Profile: Israel's Shin Bet agency Wednesday, 30 January, 2002.
- ↑ Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Every Spy a Prince: The Secret History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, p.296.
- ↑ Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Every Spy a Prince: The Secret History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, p.297.
- ↑ Profile: Israel's Shin Bet agency Wednesday, 30 January, 2002.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 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.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Efrat Weiss, Former Shin Bet chief Amos Manor dies, age 89, Ynet, 5 August 2007.
- ↑ Yosef Harmelin, Israel Security Agency, accessed 24 July 2012.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Every Spy a Prince: The Secret History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, p.284.
- ↑ Ephraim Kahana, 'Historical Dictionary of Israeli intelligence', Scarecrow Press, 2006, p.100.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Yaakov Peri, Israel Security Agency, accessed 24 July 2012.
- ↑ Lahav Harkov, Kadima MK Gideon Ezra dies of lung cancer at 74, Jerusalem Post, 17 May 2012.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Avid Dichter, Israel Security Agency, accessed 24 July 2012
- ↑ Richard Silverstein, Deputy Shin Bet, WMD Chiefs Named (and Their Favorite Beverages), Tikun Olam, 13 March 2013.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Every Spy a Prince: The Secret History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, p.50.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Avraham (Shalom) Ben-Dor , Israel Security Agency, accessed 24 July 2012.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 Report of Internal GSS Committee on Rabin Assassination, 8 November 1985, archived by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- ↑ Ephraim Kahana, 'Historical Dictionary of Israeli intelligence', Scarecrow Press, 2006, p.112.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Mitch Ginsburg, Outwitted by a bunch of 12-year-olds, The Times of Israel', 19 June 2013.
- ↑ Richard Silverstein, Jewish Terrorist, Charged With Multiple Palestinian Murders, ‘Outs’ Chief of Shin Bet’s Jewish Terror Department, Tikun Olam, 16 July 2010.
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 Alan Sipress, Two Hijackers Were Taken Alive. A Photo Proved It. Israeli's Account Of Killing Arabs Renews A Scandal, Philadelphia Inquirer, 13 August 1996.
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 33.3 33.4 33.5 33.6 33.7 33.8 33.9 Yossi Melman, Nothing succeeds like abject failure, Haaretz, 18 October 2002.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ LECTURES, Four Troop, accessed 29 July 2013.
- ↑ Shlomo Harnoy, Sdema Group, acccessed 28 July 2013.
- ↑ Dror Mor, Sdema Group, acccessed 28 July 2013.
- ↑ LECTURES, Four Troop, accessed 29 July 2013.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 44.0 44.1 Goi Info On Ramallah Bank Raid, US Embassy Tel Aviv, 5 March 2004, published by Wikileaks, 1 September 2011.
- ↑ 45.0 45.1 45.2 Mann Mairone's private anti-terrorist squad, Intelligence Online, 8 April 2010.
- ↑ Lior Akerman, Should the Shin Bet be heard?, 14 March 2013.
- ↑ Dan Vesely, Sdema Group, acccessed 28 July 2013.
- ↑ LECTURES, Four Troop, accessed 29 July 2013.
- ↑ Amir Takomi, Sdema Group, acccessed 28 July 2013.
- ↑ Ami Golan, Sdema Group, acccessed 28 July 2013.
