Jewish intelligence. What is Mossad and what does this service do? Further history of the Mossad

In the fall of 2009, after a year-long trial brought by a number of Israeli newspapers against the Mossad intelligence service, the agency's only document since its inception was declassified for the first time. It was this document that cleared up all questions about the date of birth of the organization. We are talking about a secret letter from Israeli Prime Minister Ben-Gurion to the country's Foreign Ministry with a proposal to create a single coordinating service that would deal with intelligence operations. The letter was dated December 13, 1949. This day is considered the official date of the formation of the Mossad - one of the most effective intelligence services in the world, the prototype of which was various Jewish structures and organizations that, since the 30s of the 20th century, fought against Arab terrorism, for emigration to the territory of the future state of Israel and for itself, in fact, his education.

World "horror stories"

The basic principle of the Mossad’s work can be formulated as follows: “as little information as possible, as much rumors as possible.” Against the backdrop of numerous espionage scandals that neither the KGB nor the CIA could avoid, according to researchers of the Mossad, of all its operations, both successful and unsuccessful, no more than 5% are known to the world community. But the same cannot be said about rumors. At various times, the death of a 43-year-old man was attributed to the results of Mossad activities. Head of the State Government of Schleswig-Holstein Uwe Barschel in October 1987. He was found dead in a bathtub at the Beaurivage Hotel in Geneva. Monica Lewinsky, by the way, was also called a Mossad agent. This also includes the mysterious death of the famous billionaire and publishing magnate Robert Maxwell, in November 1991, allegedly fell off the side of his yacht and drowned, an assassination attempt thwarted by US intelligence services President George Bush, Mossad's involvement in the explosion of the Twin Towers, the mysterious disappearance of the Arctic Sea in 2009 and much more.

Among the latest pseudo-involvements, we can mention the absolutely incredible story of disappearance in Syria Deputy Chief of the GRU of the Russian Federation, Major General Yuri Ivanov, the former head of military intelligence in the Caucasus, who, while on a “private” trip, disappeared on August 6, 2010 in the Syrian city of Latakia. The message about his tragic death appeared in the main newspaper of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Krasnaya Zvezda, only on August 28, and his body was discovered on August 8 in Turkey. According to the official version, the major general drowned. “Rossiyskaya Gazeta” wrote the following about this: “The Internet, of course, was filled with the most incredible speculations on this topic. But what is there to guess about? Last summer, a huge number of people, even very good swimmers, drowned. And the fact of such a death in itself, even for a professional intelligence officer, is not something exceptional.”

The attempted kidnapping was also attributed to Israeli intelligence, with varying degrees of success. Edward Snowden, involvement in the organization of both “Maidanov”, as well as the active participation of agents in literally all aspects of life in modern Ukraine.

House on Shaul HaMelech Boulevard

And what, exactly, is the “Intelligence and Special Operations Agency” today (that’s what the Mossad was originally called)? Since its creation, the organization has had 10 leaders, almost each of whom was a “playing coach,” that is, personally participated in operations both in Israel and abroad, including the physical liquidation of people. They were not affected by the notorious repressions of the domestic security forces, which made it possible to maintain continuity and accumulate vast experience in conducting secret operations and physical liquidations of terrorists and enemies of Israel.

Tamir Pardo. Frame youtube.com

The current head of the Mossad is Tamir Pardo, long-term deputy previous leader Meir Dagan. He is over 60, he was born into a family of repatriates from Bulgaria, and received higher education at Tel Aviv University in the departments of history and political science. In 1976, he personally participated in the famous operation to free Israeli hostages from a plane hijacked by terrorists. The operation was planned 48 hours after receiving information about the seizure of the airliner and its landing in Uganda, whose authorities supported the terrorists. Having flown 4 thousand kilometers, 29 Israeli special forces carried out an operation to free 106 hostages, three of whom were killed. Seven terrorists, from 33 to 45 Ugandan soldiers were also eliminated, and 30 aircraft at the airfield were disabled. The special forces lost one person - their commander Jonathan Netanyahu. He is a close friend of the acting family Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The operation was led Mike Harari, who died in 2014 at the age of 87. He was perhaps the most famous member of Israeli intelligence.

The Mossad is still located in a building on Shaul Ha-Melech Boulevard; its operational units have been located in the suburbs of Tel Aviv since 1989. The number of personnel remains virtually unchanged. Today the number of employees varies from 1200 to 2000 people. Moreover, it is believed that there are tens of thousands of “freelance employees”, that is, agents working all over the world. Another 15 thousand people are so-called “sleeping” agents. There are also “warning” agents who work in potentially conflict countries, for example, as doctors or even as port handlers. Their task is to notice in time the signs of the country’s preparation for war - to purchase large quantities of dressings and medicines, to increase the activity of the military, etc.

The Mossad is considered a civilian structure, and formally its employees do not have military ranks. But most of the agents completed military service. Recruitment is very thorough. If 30 years ago Israeli intelligence recruited mainly people with an oriental appearance who knew Arabic, now recruitment occurs in the literal sense of the word “by advertisement.” In particular, in 2000, a message was published in one of the central Israeli newspapers: “The Mossad is not open to everyone, but perhaps to you.” Then more than a thousand people responded to it. Only one passed the competitive selection. The check can last up to three months and include, for example, the task of boarding a plane without going through passport control, entering an unknown train, or, under any pretext, being with a randomly selected person in a randomly selected apartment. Those who pass the tests are enrolled in the Mossad academy - Midrash.

The Israeli intelligence institution of higher education has existed since the mid-1960s. The very word “Midrash” is not pronounced either inside or outside the building - this is prohibited. It is noteworthy that due to the ban on saying the name of the academy out loud, it is called the “summer residence of the prime minister.” It is located there, in the suburbs of Tel Aviv. From the beginning of their training, all cadets receive pseudonyms and a certain biographical legend, which they are obliged to strictly follow throughout the entire period of training. After the first year of study, an internship begins in Mossad units. As a rule, graduates are fluent in at least three languages ​​and speak them without an accent.

The most merciless and most secretive unit of the Mossad for killing the enemies of Israel anywhere in the world is “Kidon” (“bayonet” in Hebrew). There are only three groups of 12 people, sometimes they talk about two “reserve” employees. Of these, five are women. All fighters are no more than 29 years old. Naturally, the further fate of the employees of this highly specialized unit is a closely guarded secret. When physically eliminating terrorists, the classic “calling card” of special forces is a control shot in the eye.

Mossad members retire at the age of 45.

Friendship didn't work out

The peculiarities of interaction between Israeli and Soviet, and later Russian intelligence services were influenced by two main circumstances. Firstly, we should take into account the lack of diplomatic ties between our countries in the period from 1967 to 1992. Secondly, the Soviet Union has always been the main source of aliyah - the emigration and repatriation of Jews to their historical homeland. Therefore, the leadership of both the Mossad and Israel itself, on the one hand, actively worked for the departure of citizens from the USSR, and on the other, always tried not to go beyond what was permitted in their special operations, fearing a tightening of the regime for release from the Union.

There was a separate division within the Mossad structure - “Nativ” (“path”, “passage” translated from Hebrew), which included no more than 200 employees. It was they who were involved in helping with the departure of Jews from the USSR and the countries of the socialist camp. And it was their activities that were associated with a number of scandals in Russia in the 90s. Thus, in 1996, while receiving from GRU officers a number of secret space images of strategic objects in Arab countries, he was detained in Moscow. Reuven Dinel, career Mossad officer. He was later expelled from the country. The transfer of secret data was planned in the center of the Belorusskaya metro station. To the credit of our specialists, his detention went flawlessly. It was complicated only by the fact that he was a very large man, physically strong and had 7 dan in karate. Later, Dinel appreciated the toughness shown by the Russian special services during the arrest, and added that he admired their professionalism.

Meanwhile, his obvious espionage past does not at all prevent him from being today the extraordinary and plenipotentiary representative of Israel in Ukraine, having previously served as Israel’s ambassador to Turkmenistan.

Current Adviser to the Embassy of the State of Israel and head of Nativ in Ukraine Shmuel Polishchuk, by “coincidental” coincidence, was also detained at one time by FSB officers at the time of handing over a bribe for services rendered to him and was also expelled from the country.

In August 2014, the media disseminated information that during the battles for Pervomaisk, personnel of the Ukrainian volunteer battalion “Donbass” discovered a charred corpse, in which an Israeli passport was found in the name Mikhail Falkov(Falkov Michael), born in 1977. The command of the “anti-terrorist operation” (ATO) was informed about the corpse with an Israeli passport only a week later. The disclosure of information about the find was immediately vetoed. This is understandable. The deceased citizen Falkov is not just an Israeli. At one time he was an adviser to Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman. In order not to spoil relations with Israel, the Ukrainian security forces tried to shift the blame onto the Russian special services. According to the opinion, it was the found Falkov that became the reason for the sudden three-day visit of the Israeli delegation to Kyiv in August. The question of the involvement of Israeli intelligence in the confrontation in Ukraine still remains open.

But the most incredible and sensational one, of course, is the story of the failed assassination attempt on Edward Snowden. Experts in the field of foreign intelligence do not rule out the involvement of Mossad agents in this case.

In August 2014, a number of American media published an interview with an FSB officer, given on condition of anonymity. In short, the material published a year after Snowden was granted asylum in Russia revealed the plan of the CIA and Mossad to kidnap Snowden, transport him to Turkey and then by plane to the American military base of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, which has served in recent years in the United States, a place where terrorists are held. The CIA initially proposed this plan to British intelligence MI6. They rejected the project as reckless. The Mossad took up its implementation, despite the round-the-clock protection of Snowden by a considerable number of active FSB officers. Mossad agents were discovered, and the very fact of the plan came to light. They were advised to leave the country on their own to avoid a scandal, and the “debriefing” between Russia, the USA and Israel continued for another six months.

Structure

The modern structure of the Israeli intelligence services

• Committee of heads of services "Varash"
• "Mossad" - foreign intelligence
• "Shabak" - counterintelligence and counter-terrorism
• "AMAN" - military intelligence
• "MATAM" - secret police department
• "Mamad" - Center for Political Research of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Functions

To the committee of heads of services "Varash" ( Vaadat Rashet Hasherutim) includes the heads of Mossad, Shabak, AMAN and the Inspector General of Police. This committee coordinates the activities of the intelligence community. The activities of Varash are strictly classified, including the dates and agenda of its meetings.

Mossad is responsible for intelligence operations abroad and also carries out activities to destroy terrorists outside Israel. Reports to the Prime Minister of Israel.

Shabak is responsible for internal security and counterintelligence, providing information for anti-terrorism activities within the country. Her responsibilities also include protecting the country's top officials, ensuring the security of major military and industrial facilities in Israel, Israeli missions abroad, and international lines of the El Al airline. Reports to the Prime Minister of Israel. Working in close cooperation with Shabak is MATAM, a secret department located within the Israeli Police Investigations Department. The Shin Bet is also responsible for recruiting personnel for other intelligence services (Mossad, etc.)

"AMAN" is responsible for intelligence regarding the armed forces of Arab countries that pose a threat to Israel, manages the intelligence of the ground forces, air force and navy, engages in electronic intelligence and censorship, and conducts sabotage operations at enemy military facilities. Reports to the Chief of the IDF General Staff.

The Center for Political Research of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is engaged in analytical work on assessing political information. It is part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The main objectives of Israeli intelligence and security services are:

1. Arab states - their capabilities and intentions towards Israel, their relations with other countries, official representations and institutions of Arab states in all countries of the world, leaders of Arab countries, domestic and inter-Arab policies of these countries, psychological factors, military readiness and other aspects.
2. Gathering information about US policies or decisions made by US leadership regarding Israel.
3. Collection of military-technical information in developed countries.
4. Identification of the policy directions of governments of countries with large Jewish populations in relation to Israel and the problems of Jewish emigration from these countries.
5. Complete monitoring of anti-Zionist activities throughout the world, countering Arab propaganda.
6. Gathering other political and economic information of interest to Israel.

Story

British Mandate

The history of the Israeli intelligence services dates back to 1929 during the British Mandate of Palestine. The increase in violence on the part of the Arabs and especially the mass pogroms of 1929 became the reason for the creation of the information and intelligence service “Sherut Yediot” (abbreviated) Shai within the framework of the Jewish self-defense organization “Haganah”. In 1942, the service was headed by Israel Amir, who had previously been involved in arms procurement for the Haganah.

Reorganization

Initially, Lakam was entrusted with the task of ensuring the safety and secrecy of the nuclear reactor being built in Dimona, but then Lakam ensured that Israel received the necessary nuclear components, and after 1979, Lakam was entrusted with obtaining information in the field of high technology.

On November 21, 1985, US naval intelligence analyst Jonathan Pollard, who turned out to be an Israeli spy working for Lakam, was arrested in Washington. Pollard was sentenced to life imprisonment.

And in 1986, Israeli nuclear technician Mordechai Vanunu revealed to the world the secret that Israel has nuclear weapons. Lakam, who was responsible for Dimona’s safety, did not notice that Vanunu had brought a camera into the guarded facility and had been photographing it for a long time. Vanunu was captured by Mossad agents in Rome and taken to Israel.

After these failures, Lakam was dissolved, its leader Rafi Eitan was dismissed, and its functions were transferred to other members of the intelligence community.

Regulatory framework and control

In 1999, the Israeli Supreme Court for the first time adopted a regulatory act regulating the activities of the intelligence services, which contained a ban on the use of torture. Prior to this, the intelligence services acted outside any legal framework, relying solely on internal instructions and instructions from management.

Mossad is one of the most powerful intelligence agencies in the world. Created by intelligence professionals, the Mossad became famous both for its impeccable operations and its system of conspiracy.

Operational space

Mossad was created on December 19, 1949. Today this special service is among the top five. It was formed on the basis of an underground organization of the same name, which was involved in the removal of Jews to Palestine during the Second World War.

An important condition for guaranteeing the success of operations was utmost secrecy. The principle of secrecy is still one of the fundamental principles for the Mossad. At the first Israeli foreign intelligence office there was only a non-binding sign “Consulting Services”. Employees from one office had no idea what the people behind the wall were doing. At the same time, the special service was able to carry out such coordinated operations with a minimum of staff that Mossad is still recognized today as one of the exemplary special services.

The world learned about the existence of the Mossad only 30 years after its formation; the names of its directors became known only in the 90s. Until this time, any information leakage was nipped in the bud. Created in a small state where everyone knows each other, Mossad initially relied on developing the quality of its work. The former director of the intelligence service, Meir Amit, commented on the Mossad’s operating principle: “If you have a small territory, you must create an operational space for yourself that compensates for the lack of the necessary territory.” And the Mossad created this operational space by disbanding its agent “networks” around the world.

Founding Fathers

The Mossad was initially based on the principles of absolute devotion to the Jewish people and state. The first director of Mossad, Revuen Shiloach, was the son of the famous Russian rabbi Isaac Zaslansky. From his youth, he carried out secret tasks for the Jewish leadership of Palestine and was personally acquainted with its leaders - Moshe Sharett and David Ben-Gurion. The latter made him director of the new intelligence service. From the first days of the Mossad's work, Shiloah saw one of the primary tasks facing him as the withdrawal of Israel from international isolation, for which he established close contacts with the Kurdish liberation movement and Western intelligence agencies (primarily the CIA).

The second director of Mossad was a native of Belarus, Iser Harel. He brought the work of the Mossad to a new qualitative level. His personal hard work could be envied; while working in the kibbutz, he even received the nickname “Stakhanovite.” When he became the head of the special service, he demanded the same diligence from his wards. Iser went through a good sabotage school and when he worked for the Mossad he personally took part in operations.

Harel's importance as an intelligence authority was so high that he simultaneously managed to combine the leadership of intelligence and counterintelligence. Ben-Gurion even came up with a separate position especially for him - HaMemuneh (Russian: “responsible”). It was under Harel that the Mossad became famous for organizing the kidnapping of the Nazi Eichmann from Argentina on May 11, 1960. Harel himself participated in the operation.

Isotope-1

One of the most sensational operations that was carried out jointly with the Mossad was Operation Isotope-1, carried out on May 8, 1972. The Boeing 707 was flying Brussels - Vienna - Tel Aviv. Four terrorists, two men and two women, boarded the plane using false passports. As soon as the plane gained altitude, the leader of the group, Abu Seina, burst into the cockpit and announced the capture. The hijackers made demands: landing the plane on Israeli territory, the release of 315 Palestinians within 24 hours, a million dollars and an unhindered flight. The negotiations with the terrorists were conducted by the head of military intelligence, Aharon Yariv: the headquarters immediately took a position of concessions and compromise.

The extremists did not hear the word “no”: they were provided with food and the opportunity to communicate with the leaders of the headquarters at any time. During the negotiation process, they managed to persuade the militants to allow Red Cross employees and a team of technicians to visit the hostages to repair the plane.

Under the guise of “repairmen”, dressed in uniform, the capture group went into battle. The seizure was led by Ehud Barak, later Chief of the General Staff and then Prime Minister. One of the gang leaders was killed by Major Dani Yatom, who a few years later became the head of the Mossad. Lieutenant Uzi Dayan, the future deputy chief of the General Staff, and later the head of the Defense Council, did the impossible by removing a grenade from the hands of a female terrorist. Lieutenant Benjamin Netanyahu, soon to become prime minister, was seriously wounded during the shootout.

The leader of the group, Abu Sanaina, tried to hide in the toilet. However, one of the special forces group, Mordechai Rahamim, managed to knock down the door and shoot the terrorist at point-blank range.
Israeli politicians, having heard Vladimir Putin’s famous phrase, must have smiled knowingly: the Russian president is familiar with the history of special forces. The entire operation took the capture team 90 seconds.

Beheading of "Black September"

The largest operation of the Mossad was the actual destruction of the radical terrorist group Black September, whose members captured the Israeli Olympic team in September 1972. The Israeli leadership and the Mossad decided to physically destroy everyone who was involved in the terrorist attack.

The operation was called "Wrath of God". The sanctions for the destruction of each suspect were signed by Golda Meir herself, and the future Prime Minister of Israel Ehud Barak personally took part in the operation. Within six years, the terrorist organization was completely destroyed. To eliminate them, the entire arsenal of means was used - from explosive devices built into a telephone receiver, to captures and execution on the spot. The Mossad fighters “raised the ears” of all of Europe and Central Asia. No one escaped the massacre.

Mossad and Skorzeny

The extent to which the Mossad has long arms became clear in 2006, when information became publicly available that Otto Skorzeny himself had collaborated with the Israeli intelligence service. It was a matter of confrontation between Israel and Egypt, in which in those years the military program was developing at full speed. At the same time, Germans from among the former Nazis worked for Egypt. The strengthening of Egypt was dangerous for Israel and the Mossad began its operation.

The then director of the intelligence service, Meir Amit, began recruiting among German military specialists in Egypt. The operation was led by Rafi Eitan. The Mossad was looking for an “ex-Nazi” who could obtain important documents. Skorzenny became such an “ex-Nazi”. He was recruited by the Mossad in exchange for "freedom from fear." The previous murder of Eichmann made Skorzeny understand that he could be next.

The Mossad also recruited “Valentin”, also a former Nazi, an acquaintance of Skorzeny. He oversaw Egypt's hiring of German specialists and ensured their safety. That is, he had full access to all documents. “Valentin” photographed the documents and gave them to Skorzeny. Skorzeny to Meir.

The Mossad made a knight's move. Lists of all Germans working illegally in Egypt were delivered to German Defense Minister Strauss. To avoid an international scandal, Strauss chose to recall the scientists. They were simply “bought” - they were offered compensation greater than their future fees. Of course, in his memoirs, Otto Skorzeny did not say a word about his “friendship” with Israeli intelligence.

Israel's foreign intelligence service (Mossad) chose as its motto the words from the Book of Proverbs of Solomon: “With a lack of care (cunning methods of warfare), a people falls, but with many advisers it prospers.” These words, carved on the Mossad emblem, have a deep meaning: they define intelligence goals, awaken the initiative of state security officials, but also serve as a stern warning to those in power.

Mossad logo
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Alexander Shulman
Mossad - Israel's foreign intelligence service

The Israeli foreign intelligence service Mossad is deservedly considered one of the most effective intelligence services in the world. The Mossad is responsible for collecting intelligence information and conducting covert special operations abroad. It identifies dangers threatening the country, its citizens and Jewish communities in the Diaspora, seeks to prevent them and acts to strengthen the security and military power of the state.

The official name of this Israeli intelligence service in Hebrew is “ha-Mossad le Modiin ule Tafkidim Mehadim,” which translated means “Intelligence and Special Operations Agency.” The Mossad chose as its motto the words from the Book of Proverbs of Solomon: “With a lack of care (cunning methods of warfare), a people falls, but with many advisers it prospers.” These words, carved on the Mossad emblem, have a deep meaning: they define intelligence goals, awaken the initiative of state security officials, but also serve as a stern warning to those in power.

The history of the Mossad, its secret operations and actions, are covered with an impenetrable veil of secrecy. Only recently was the Israeli press allowed to announce the name of the next head of the Mossad. Almost all information about the activities of Israeli intelligence is available only from the foreign press, which most likely uses leaks of very measured data. The Israeli leadership, as a rule, neither confirms nor denies most of the reports relating to the activities of the Mossad “knights of cloak and dagger” operating in all parts of the world.

Creation of the Mossad.
The predecessors of the Mossad were the intelligence services of Jewish underground organizations that operated before the creation of the State of Israel. The Haganah, the main and largest military organization of the Jews of Palestine, created the Shai, a service for collecting information necessary for military and political confrontation with the Palestinian Arabs, Arab countries and the British authorities, under whose rule Palestine was then. The Shai intelligence service had extensive experience in operational and undercover work both against the Arabs and the British, and in the ranks of various organizations of the Jewish underground.

The proclamation of the State of Israel on May 15, 1948 and the subsequent invasion of regular armies of Arab countries required the creation of state security agencies and the definition of the scope of their activities.

Already on June 7, 1948, David Ben-Gurion, the first prime minister of the newly created state, held a meeting with Reuven Shiloach and Iser Beeri, who headed the Shai service. At this historic meeting, a decision was made to create military intelligence, counterintelligence service and foreign intelligence service.

The formation of the foreign intelligence service was entrusted to Reuven Shiloach, an expert on Arab countries and the Middle East, who had taken part in secret operations since his youth.

Reuven Shiloah, first head of Mossad

In July 1949, Reuven Shiloach, who belonged to Ben-Gurion’s inner circle, proposed the creation of “a central agency to coordinate the work of intelligence and security services.” Ben-Gurion agreed, and on December 13, 1949, such an agency was created. This date, December 13, 1949, is considered the date of the creation of the Mossad.

In March 1951, by decision of David Ben-Gurion, the main division of the Mossad was formed, called ha-Rashut (Administration). He was entrusted with the conduct of all intelligence activities abroad, both at the headquarters and at the operational level. The Mossad came under the direct authority of the prime minister and was included in the ministry of the head of government.

Initially, all the activities of the Israeli intelligence services were strictly classified - Ben-Gurion was fundamentally against public disclosure of the existence of intelligence and security services.

Nazi hunters

In 1953, Reuven Shiloah was replaced as Mossad chief by Iser Harel, whose name is associated with the true formation of the foreign intelligence service.

Iser Harel, head of the Mossad from 1953-1963.

A native of Belarus, Harel had an exceptionally keen intelligence instinct and personally led the most important operations, preferring forceful methods. Under him, the structure of the Mossad was finally formed, and high professional and moral standards for intelligence activities were developed, which still exist today. Those who did not meet them had to look for another job.

Harel did not need executioners and sadists to carry out operations to eliminate the enemy: “I need people,” he said, “who are disgusted with killing, but who, nevertheless, can be taught to kill.” One of Harel's employees described it this way: Iser wants honest people to do the work of scoundrels.

In the 50-60s, the Mossad carried out a number of operations to search for and eliminate Nazi war criminals who fled from just retribution to Latin American and Arab countries. There is no official data on the liquidations carried out by the Mossad and it is unlikely that they will ever appear - these matters are very sensitive and very painful for the sovereignty of those countries on whose territory secret operations were carried out. Only many years later it became known, for example, how the fugitive leader of the Latvian Nazis, Herberts Kukurs, the executioner of the Jews of Latvia, was liquidated in Brazil in 1965.

Only the Mossad operation to search and capture in Argentina the Nazi war criminal SS Obersturmbannführer Adolf Eichmann, who headed department IV D4 of the Main Directorate of Reich Security and was the direct organizer of the genocide of Jews in Europe, gained worldwide fame.

After the war, Eichmann, with the help of the secret SS organization ODESSA (“brotherhood of SS members”), managed to escape to Argentina, where he hid under a false name. The search for Eichmann continued for several years until Mossad agents were able to establish his exact location in the suburbs of Buenos Aires. To capture Eichmann, a group of Mossad operatives was sent to Argentina, organizing surveillance of the facility and abduction under the noses of local authorities and Nazi organizations. Eichmann was secretly transported to Israel, where he was tried and executed in May 1962.

However, the Mossad in its hunt for the Nazis was guided not only by sentiments about those killed in the Holocaust - fugitive Nazis who settled in Arab countries and united in a “devilish alliance” with the Russians played an important role in preparing the Arab armies for the war against Israel and for the creation of a new weapons.

Meir Amit, head of Mossad from 1963-1968.

In the 50s, a top-secret facility under code number 333 was created in Egypt, which was nothing more than a ballistic missile production plant where hundreds of German engineers and scientists worked. Basically, former Nazis who at one time worked at Messerschmitt aircraft factories and in the secret laboratories of Wernher von Braun. The security of German specialists was in charge of a former SS officer, now declassified under the pseudonym “Valentin”.

The first information about the plans of the Egyptian authorities, with the help of fugitive Nazis, to obtain modern weapons, was received from the head of the Mossad intelligence network in Egypt, “Wolfgang Lotz.” "Wolfgang Lotz" was introduced under the legend of a former Wehrmacht officer and was the owner of an aristocratic riding club in Cairo. He managed to establish close ties with the Egyptian leadership and the German community, from where he obtained information about the development of the rocket project.

The Mossad carried out Operation Sword of Damocles, the goal of which was to eliminate the Egyptian missile program. Initially, events developed according to the usual scenario - the Mossad decided to intimidate the Germans working in Egypt and force them to refuse to participate in the project. Several German specialists were eliminated and disappeared without a trace, but the goals were not achieved.

Then the Mossad changed tactics, recruiting such a legendary figure as the former commander of the SS saboteurs, Obersturmbannführer Otto Skorzeny. He became famous for his daring operations behind enemy lines during World War II - the abduction of Benito Mussolini from captivity in Italy and the raids of his saboteurs dressed in Anglo-American uniforms into the rear of the Allied armies. Skorzeny was associated with the leadership of the secret organization of SS men ODESSA (“brotherhood of SS members”) and was probably of great interest to the Mossad.

On Skorzeny’s recommendation, Mossad agents came into direct contact with the Obersturmbannführer’s longtime colleague, “Valentin.” Soon the Mossad received a full program of what exactly German specialists were doing in Egypt. However, cooperation in the military-industrial sphere with other countries was then prohibited by German legislation. The information received was conveyed to Franz Josef Strauss, the German Minister of Defense and a loyal friend of Israel, and he, in accordance with the law, immediately recalled the citizens of his country from Cairo. Thus, Egypt's military program was disrupted.

It is interesting to note that the successful leadership of the Sword of Damocles operation was carried out by the new Mossad chief Meir Amit, a native of Ukraine and cousin of the famous Soviet front-line poet Boris Slutsky.

In pursuit of weapons
One of the main tasks solved by the Mossad is to overcome bans on the supply of weapons to Israel and obtain information about new weapons systems of a potential enemy. It is clear that such information is necessary to create our own weapons systems capable of successfully coping with new threats on the battlefield.

Before the 1967 War, France was the main supplier of weapons to the Israeli army. However, then France took a pro-Arab position and refused to fulfill its obligations. A mass of military equipment had accumulated in French ports, previously purchased and paid for by Israel and which France now refused to supply.

Zvi Zamir, head of Mossad from 1968-1974.

At the shipyards in the French port of Cherbourg, five missile-carrying boats were built by order of Israel. However, France declared an embargo on arms supplies to Israel and these boats were never delivered to the Israeli Navy. In Israel they decided by any means to ensure that the French fulfilled the previously paid order. The Starbot company, registered in Panama and having a representative office in Norway, expressed a desire to purchase five boats being built in Cherbourg for Israel and delayed by the embargo. The company needed these boats to service oil platforms in the North Sea. Soon all the formalities were settled and the crews of the “Norwegians” arrived in Cherbourg. In fact, the Mossad created this company in Norway, and under the guise of “Norwegian” sailors, officers and sailors of the Israeli Navy arrived in Cherbourg.

On December 25, 1968, on Christmas night, five missile-carrying boats suddenly left the port of Cherbourg. Having entered the open sea, the sailors raised the flag of the Israeli Navy on the masts and, in wake formation, went to the naval base of the Israeli Navy in Haifa.

Due to the French government's refusal to supply 50 already paid for Mirage aircraft and spare parts for them, the Israelis could neither replenish their air force nor repair aircraft damaged during hostilities. In search of a solution to the problem, the Mossad recruited engineer Frauenknecht, head of the engine department of the Swiss company Sulzer, where Mirage aircraft engines were produced. Frauenknecht handed over more than 2 tons of technical documentation to Mossad agents. As a result, the production of engines for the Israeli Mirages was established at the Israeli aviation industry plant.

However, a number of experts believe that the “Frauenknecht case”, which was deliberately widely publicized, was only a cover-up campaign for other, much more important, successful operations of the Mossad

Yitzhak Hofi, head of the Mossad from 1974-1982.

The Mossad is making serious efforts to prevent weapons of mass destruction from falling into the hands of Arab and Islamic regimes. In the mid-70s, France and Iraq agreed to supply this Arab country with two nuclear reactors. Iraq sought to create its own nuclear weapons, which it planned to use against Israel. On April 5, 1979, nuclear reactor equipment ready to be sent to Iraq was blown up at a plant in France. A previously unknown “Environmental Defenders Group” took responsibility for this action.

In 1980, one of the leading Iraqi nuclear physicists who headed the Iraqi nuclear project, Professor Yahya El-Meshad, was found dead in his Paris apartment. The same sudden death befell in 1990 the Canadian scientist Gerald Bull, the developer of a supergun commissioned by Iraq, and in 1991 Alan Kidger, the head of a South African chemical plant, who was suspected of illegally supplying chemicals for the production of nuclear weapons to Arab states.

Since in the 60-70s a significant part of the combat equipment of the Arab armies was supplied from the USSR, the Mossad carried out several well-known operations to seize Soviet military equipment that was in service with the Arab armies.

In 1965, the then new Soviet fighter MiG-21 entered service with the Arabs. This news caused alarm in the Israeli Air Force, since no data on the tactical and technical characteristics of this aircraft was known. The Mossad was instructed to take possession of this aircraft for the purpose of subsequent detailed study in Israel. For this purpose, the Mossad recruited Iraqi pilot Munir Redfi, one of the first to master this type of aircraft. At 23, Munir Redfi was considered Iraq's best air ace and was the commander of a squadron of newly delivered MiG-21 fighters from the USSR. During a training flight on August 15, 1966, Redfi flew at low altitude through Jordan and landed the plane at an air base in Israel. Redfi and his family were then transported to a safe country.

In 1969, Soviet P-12 radar stations entered service with the Egyptian army. The presence of such sophisticated equipment in the hands of the enemy could seriously limit the field of activity of Israeli combat aviation. Therefore, it was decided to capture a sample of this radar.

The P-12 radar was located deep in Egyptian territory, at a distance of 400 kilometers from the front line. A decision was made to conduct an amphibious operation to capture the station and its staff. On December 25, 1969, an Israeli special forces landing group landed from helicopters near the radar station. Having destroyed the station's guards in battle, Israeli paratroopers called in two cargo helicopters. The radar, weighing 8 tons, was cut into two parts, which were suspended on cables from the helicopters. The P-12 radar was delivered to Israel without any damage and was subjected to careful study, which made it possible to create the necessary means of electronic protection for aircraft.

Another successful operation to capture samples of Soviet weapons was the flight to Israel on a MiG-23 in 1989 by a Syrian pilot recruited by the Mossad.

Nachum Admoni, head of Mossad from 1982-1989.

Mossad operations against Soviet and Russian intelligence have a long history. The Russians have always waged war against Israel on the side of the Arabs and actively supported Islamic terror against Israel.

Israeli intelligence and counterintelligence services have a very successful experience in eliminating Russian agents. One can note the revelations of Russian spies I. Ber, who held a responsible post in the office of the first Prime Minister of Israel, Klinberg, who passed on secret information about biological research to the Russians, Kalmanovich, who was abandoned in Israel in 60 -th years. In the 60s, a Russian spy network in Israel was exposed, which included dozens of priests and monks of the Russian Orthodox Church.

An important role in exposing Russian spies in robes was played by Viktor Graevsky, director of the foreign broadcasting service Kol Israel. Victor Grajewski became famous in the 50s when, while a prominent official of the apparatus of the Central Committee of the Polish Workers' Party, he handed over to Israeli intelligence Khrushchev's secret report at the 20th Congress of the CPSU. As it became known after Graevsky’s death in 2006, he, with the knowledge of the Israeli intelligence services, was a double agent - he worked for both Israeli and Russian intelligence. The Mossad successfully used Graevsky to feed disinformation to the Russians. Graevsky outplayed the Russians.

All that is known about Mossad operations on the territory of the USSR is that the Mossad was active in the early 90s in the Caucasus and Transnistria with the aim of evacuating the Jewish population from military conflict zones to Israel.

In recent years, Russia has become a global center of anti-Semitic and anti-Israel activity. Russian nationalist organizations are active in this country and have openly declared war on the Jewish people and the state of Israel, which undoubtedly makes Russian extremists an object of interest for Israeli intelligence services.

War on Terror
Throughout its history, the State of Israel has waged a merciless war against Islamic terrorism. The Mossad and other Israeli state security agencies are successfully solving the problem of countering the terrorist threat, identifying and eliminating everyone involved in terrorist activities. On this front of the secret war on terror

The Mossad has accumulated unique and multifaceted experience, which it shares with the intelligence services of other countries countering the terrorist threat.

The Mossad's ideology in the war on terror is based on several simple principles:
- In the war against state-supported terror, one cannot limit oneself to methods of passive defense - one must strive to destroy terrorists in their lair and inflict painful blows on states that provide them with cover, so that the price of supporting terrorists is very high.
- Surprise and mobility are the key to success. The blow is delivered where the enemy least expects it.
- There are no impregnable objects: any system is vulnerable to fighters who are able to think non-trivially and find solutions unexpected for the enemy.
- The most important thing: there is not and cannot be an unfulfilled task.

In the war on terror, Mossad takes on the role of organizer and coordinator of the activities of other Israeli intelligence services.

In the early 60s, the Mossad introduced its agent Eli Cohen into the very top echelons of power in Syria. Acting under the guise of a wealthy Arab businessman from Argentina, Eli Cohen managed to become a personal friend of the President of Syria and took the post of Deputy Minister of Defense of that country.
For three years, Eli Cohen transmitted information to the Mossad about all the military and political secrets of Syria and other Arab countries.
It was only in 1965 that the Syrians, with the help of the Russians, managed to locate Cohen's radio transmitter. After his arrest and torture, the Syrians tried to persuade Eli Cohen to cooperate and use him in a radio game against the Mossad. However, Eli Cohen managed to convey a message about his failure in radio codes dictated by the Syrians. On May 18, 1965, a Mossad agent was publicly executed in front of a large crowd of people in a square in Damascus, but the intelligence transmitted by Eli Cohen played a decisive role in the defeat of Syria in the Six-Day War of 1967.

Shabtai Shavit, head of the Mossad from 1989-1996.

The news of the murder of 11 Israeli team athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics by Palestinian terrorists sparked fury in Israel. Prime Minister Golda Meir said in the Knesset: "Israel will use all the strength and ability that our people have to catch the terrorists wherever they are." Mossad chief Zvi Zamir compiled a list of seventeen Palestinians responsible for the Munich crime. And he set a task: all terrorists, many of whom were trained in the USSR, must be dead. Mossad strike forces destroyed all the leadership and militants of the Black September terrorist organization responsible for the murder of Israeli athletes.

On Sunday June 27, 1976, an Air France passenger plane was hijacked by terrorists, who forced the crew to land at Entebbe Airport in the African country of Uganda. The terrorists took the Israeli passengers hostage and demanded the release of the arrested Palestinian terrorists in exchange. The Ugandan authorities provided full support to the air pirates.

The distance from Israel to Uganda is over four thousand kilometers. By the evening of June 30, the Mossad and the special forces command had completed the development of the operation. On July 3, 1976, Israeli army special forces carried out an operation to free 105 hostages. Planes carrying Israeli paratroopers suddenly landed in Entebbe. Special forces soldiers destroyed the terrorists and Ugandan guards and returned to Israel with the freed hostages. This bold and unprecedented action showed the world community that terrorism and extortion must be met with a counter-strike.

In its activities abroad, the Mossad widely practices special operations to destroy Israel's opponents. Thus, in Malta, the leader of the Jihad terrorist organization, Fathi Skakaki, was killed, in Lebanon, the leader of another terrorist organization, the Believers' Resistance Group, Mustafa Darani, was kidnapped and taken to Israel, and before that, in the 80s, the leader of the organization was kidnapped in Lebanon. Hezbollah Javad Kaspi and Sheikh Karim Obeida. In a number of European cities, the deputy chairman of the PLO Kamal Hussein, the head of the Fatah faction Shatoun Muraah, the head of the PLO information service Abu Sharar, and other prominent figures of the PLO and a number of Islamic terrorist organizations were eliminated.

Dani Yatom, head of Mossad from 1996-1998.

The activity of anti-terrorist measures increased after the arrival in 2002 of the senior paratrooper general Meir Dagan, who specialized in the fight against terror during his military service. According to the British newspaper Sunday Times, with the arrival of Dagan, the Mossad eliminated a number of prominent functionaries of Islamic terrorist organizations based in Lebanon, Gaza, Syria, and Iran.
Among them:
December 2002. Ramzi Nahara, a Hezbollah functionary, was responsible for planning terrorist operations against Israeli targets.
March 2003. Abu Mohammed Al-Masri. Member of Al-Qaeda, head of a terrorist network operating on the Lebanese-Israeli border.
August 2003 Ali Hussein Seilh, Hezbollah Booby Trap Expert
July 2004 Haleb Avali. Hezbollah leader responsible for dealing with Hamas in the Gaza Strip
September 2004 Iz-el-Din, Hamas leader in charge of relations with Syria
May 2006 Mahmoud Majub. Leader of Islamic Jihad, responsible for interaction with Hezbollah
February 2008. Imad Munieh. Head of Hezbollah's General Staff

The conduct of such covert operations can be illustrated by the example of the liquidation of the leader of the military wing of Palestinian terrorists, Abu Jihad, in 1988 in Tunisia. Previously, the Mossad, through its agents in Tunisia and with the help of technical means, collected all possible information about the area, the locations of the police and military forces of the Tunisians and Palestinians, all conversations of Abu Jihad and his entourage were constantly monitored

Immediately before the operation, special forces soldiers conducted a “dress rehearsal” for the upcoming operation in a built replica of Abu Jihad’s villa. A special group of Mossad agents arrived in Tunisia under the guise of tourists, who were supposed to meet the assault group on the coast and ensure its delivery to the target.
The operation involved the forces of the Israeli Air Force and Navy: a squadron of 4 corvettes secretly approached the shores of Tunisia; two Boeing 707s with electronic equipment were constantly flying over the Mediterranean Sea, with electronic equipment designed to suppress communications and control of the Tunisian military-police forces and the Palestinians.

An assault group of special forces soldiers secretly landed on the Tunisian coast, where they were met by previously sent Mossad agents and taken by car to the area where the terrorist leaders lived. The special forces blocked the approaches to Abu Jihad's villa from the adjacent streets, silently entered the house using special means from both ends, shot the guards and Abu Jihad with weapons equipped with flameless and silent shooting attachments, after which, taking secret documents, they safely left the area and returned to the waiting area. her ships.

The only evidence of the group’s presence were dozens of terrorist corpses, marked with the “trademark” of Mossad operatives - a control shot in the eye.

Who works in the Mossad
Service in the Mossad was and remains one of the most prestigious in Israel. Many members of Israel's political elite began their careers as Mossad agents. For example, Tzipi Livni, the current leader of the Israeli Kadima party, served in the Mossad for four years.

Tzipi Livni, leader of the Kadima Party, is a former Mossad operative.

In the service of state security agencies, representatives of various strata of Israeli society combine their efforts. This is clearly visible in the biographies of leaders
Foreign intelligence.

Efraim Halevi, head of Mossad from 1998-2002.

Thus, the head of the Mossad in 1998-2002, Efraim Halevi, was born in Great Britain into a family of intellectuals - he is the nephew of the outstanding British philosopher and president of the British Academy, Sir Isaiah Berlin. Ephraim
Halevi worked as a journalist and served as Israel's ambassador to the European Community. Halevi served in the Mossad for 28 years, successively going through all the career steps of a professional intelligence officer.

Meir Dagan, previous head of Mossad

The previous head of the Mossad, Meir Dagan, was born into a family of immigrants from Poland. Dagan had a brilliant army career. Having begun his service in the airborne forces, he took part in all of Israel's wars. For the courage shown in battle, Dagan was awarded the highest military awards. Dagan has the rank of major general, and served as division commander and deputy chief of the operational department of the General Staff. In January 1999, Meir Dagan, when he was an adviser to the Israeli Prime Minister on the fight against terror, conducted professional negotiations with the then head of Russian foreign intelligence, Vladimir Putin.

In November 2010, Tamir Pardo (57), an experienced intelligence officer who served in the secret service for many years, was appointed head of the Mossad’s foreign intelligence service. Until recently, he was the deputy of Meir Dagan, his predecessor in this post. Pardo was born into a family of repatriates from Bulgaria. He received his higher education at Tel Aviv University, in the departments of history and political science.

Public information about Tamir Pardo is limited to information about his participation in the famous operation to free Israeli hostages from a plane hijacked by terrorists in Uganda in 1976. It is known that he was behind many successful Israeli intelligence operations in Lebanon, especially during the military operation in Lebanon in 2006

Mossad head Tamir Pardo

In his address to potential candidates for intelligence service, the previous Mossad chief, Meir Dagan, defined the requirements for intelligence officers as follows: “Those recruited to the Mossad join a glorious cohort of warriors and intelligence officers who serve in its ranks in complete secrecy, driven by devotion and loyalty to their people and their country. The main strength of the Mossad is the people who serve in its ranks and are its stronghold, its driving force. They are at the forefront of operational missions. Members of the Mossad are required to be fully dedicated to their abilities, valor and devotion to their country. The Mossad people understand their purpose and are devoted to it."

On December 13, 1949, Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion signed a secret letter calling for the unification of all intelligence services. This was the beginning of the creation of one of the most effective intelligence agencies in the world - Mossad. Officially, this department was created on April 1, 1951 as a result of the merger of the “Central Institute of Coordination” and the “Central Institute of Intelligence and Security”.

The main office of the Mossad is in Tel Aviv. The staff numbers about 1,200 people, including technical staff. The organization also uses a huge number of recruited agents around the world, the number of which is estimated at 35 thousand people. Mossad employees can retire at age 45 (a year of service abroad counts as one and a half years).

What does Mossad do?

Mossad is an Israeli intelligence service that, in addition to receiving secret information, is engaged in the physical elimination of enemies of the Jewish state.

The main activities of the Mossad are:
1. secret collection of information abroad;
2. preventing terrorist activities against Israeli and Jewish targets abroad;
3. development and maintenance of special secret connections, political and other, abroad;
4. preventing the development and acquisition of weapons stockpiles by hostile countries;
5. carrying out the repatriation of Jews from countries from which official travel to Israel is impossible;
6. obtaining strategic, political and operational intelligence information;
7. carrying out special operations outside the State of Israel.

The Mossad is led by a directorate consisting of a director, his deputies and administrative services. The Director of Mossad sits on the "Committee of Chiefs of Intelligence Services," or "Warash" for short, and reports directly to the Prime Minister of Israel.
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How to join the Mossad?

Recruitment of Mossad employees is carried out, as a rule, among Israeli citizens who have served in the army, as well as among university graduates. Preliminary tests and inspections last several months. This work is carried out by the recruiting department.

At the first stage of selection, each candidate undergoes a thorough questionnaire, psychological and graphological examination. After this, those wishing to enter the service complete practical tasks. For example, they pass through border control at the airport unnoticed, change the membrane in a telephone handset at the counter at a hotel clerk, etc.

Those who pass the tests are enrolled in the Mossad academy, which is called Midrash. In it, cadets are turned into professional intelligence officers capable of conducting any operations, anywhere in the world and under any circumstances. After a year of training, cadets undergo internships in Mossad units.

The cadets then return for the next course. Only those who have successfully completed all levels of training and passed control exams become active employees.

What special operations did the Mossad participate in?

Eichmann kidnapping
In the 50s and 60s of the last century, the Mossad carried out a number of operations to search for and eliminate Nazi war criminals who fled after the war to Latin America and the Middle East. In 1960, agents kidnapped Nazi criminal Adolf Eichmann from Argentina, who was hiding there under an assumed name. Eichmann was transported to Israel, convicted and executed.

"Sword of Damocles"
On July 22, 1962, Egypt tested medium-range ballistic missiles. Having learned that German specialists were working on the project, Mossad agents first sent them letters asking them to withdraw from the project, which could threaten the security of Israel. Scientists did not react to the message in any way. As a result, the Mossad eliminated the scientists. Several engineers died while opening explosive packages received by mail, and one specialist simply disappeared.

"Noah's Ark"
In 1969, France declared an embargo on the supply of any weapons to Israel, not wanting to complicate relations with Arab countries. In response to this, the special services carried out an operation to steal from the shipyard 5 finished missile boats of the Saar 3 type, ordered and paid for by Israel. On December 24, 1969, in a force 9 storm, the boats left the port and, after a week-long sea voyage, arrived in Haifa on January 1, 1970.

"The Wrath of God"
The Mossad's most famous operation was the destruction of the radical terrorist group Black September, whose members captured the Israeli Olympic team in September 1972. The operation was called “Wrath of God.” The future Prime Minister of the Jewish State, Ehud Barak, personally took part in it. Over the course of six years, all the terrorists involved in the seizure were killed. Some of the militants were eliminated using explosive devices built into telephone handsets.