Mossad is one of the most powerful intelligence agencies in the world. Created by intelligence professionals, Mossad is renowned for both its flawless operations and its conspiracy system.
Operational space
Mossad was established on December 19, 1949. Today this special service is among the top five. It was formed on the basis of the underground organization of the same name, which was engaged in the export of Jews to Palestine during the Second World War.
An important condition for guaranteeing the success of operations was the utmost secrecy. The principle of conspiracy is still one of the fundamental principles for the Mossad. On the first Israeli foreign intelligence office, there was only a non-binding "Consulting Services" sign. The staff in 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 well-coordinated operations with a minimum of staff that the Mossad is still recognized as one of the exemplary special services.
The world learned about the existence of "Mossad" only 30 years after its formation, the names of its directors became known only in the 90s. Until that time, any information leakage was stopped in the bud. Created in a small state where everyone knows each other, Mossad initially relied on the development of the quality of work. The former director of the special service, Meir Amit, commented on the principle of the Mossad robots: "If you have a small territory, you must create yourself an operational space that compensates for the lack of the necessary territory." And "Mossad" created this operational space by dissolving its agent "networks" all over the world.
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Founding Fathers
The Mossad was originally based on the principles of absolute loyalty to the Jewish people and state. The first director of the Mossad, Revuen Shiloakh, was the son of a famous rabbi from Russia, Yitzhak Zaslansky. From his youth, he performed secret assignments of the Jewish leadership of Palestine and was personally acquainted with its leaders - Moshe Sharet and David Ben-Gurion. The latter made him the director of the new special service. From the first days of the Mossad's work, Shiloah saw one of the primary tasks that faced him - the withdrawal of Israel from international isolation, for which he established close contacts with the Kurdish liberation movement and Western intelligence services (primarily with the CIA).
The second director of the Mossad was a native of Belarus, Iser Harel. He brought the work of the Mossad to a new quality level. His personal hard work could be envied; while working in a kibbutz he even received the nickname "Stakhanovite". He demanded the same diligence when he became the head of the special service, and from his wards. Iser went through a good sabotage school and when he worked in the Mossad he personally took part in operations.
Harel's significance as an intelligence authority was so high that he simultaneously managed to combine the leadership of intelligence and counterintelligence. Ben-Gurion even specially for him invented a separate position - 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 was involved in the operation himself.
Isotope-1
One of the most notorious operations, which was carried out jointly with 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, went on board with false passports. As soon as the plane gained altitude, the leader of the group, Abu Sein, burst into the cockpit and announced the capture. The hijackers put forward demands: landing the plane on Israeli territory, freeing 315 Palestinians within 24 hours, a million dollars and unhindered flight. The negotiations with the terrorists were led by the chief of military intelligence Aaron Yariv: the headquarters immediately took a position of concessions and compromise.
The extremists did not hear the word "no": they were provided with food, the opportunity to communicate with the headquarters leaders at any time. During the negotiation process, the militants managed to persuade the militants to allow Red Cross employees and a team of technicians to visit the hostages to repair the aircraft.
Disguised as "repairmen", having changed into uniforms, the capture group went into battle. The capture was led by Ehud Barak, later Chief of the General Staff and then Prime Minister. One of the leaders of the gang 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 then the head of the Defense Council, did the impossible by taking a grenade out of the hands of a female terrorist. Lieutenant Benjamin Netanyahu, soon to be Prime Minister, was badly wounded during the shootout.
The leader of the group, Abu Sanayna, tried to hide in the toilet. However, one of the special forces group, Mordechai Rakhamim, managed to knock down the door and shoot the terrorist point-blank.
Israeli politicians, having heard the famous phrase of Vladimir Putin, must have smiled knowingly: the Russian president is familiar with the history of special forces. The entire operation took the capture team 90 seconds.
Decapitation of "Black September"
The largest operation of the Mossad was the virtual destruction of the terrorist radical group Black September, whose members captured the Israeli Olympic team in September 1972. The Israeli leadership and the Mossad decided to physically destroy all those involved in the attack.
The operation was named "The Wrath of God". The sanctions for the destruction of each suspect were signed by Golda Meir herself, the future Prime Minister of Israel Ehud Barak personally took part in the operation. In six years, the terrorist organization was completely destroyed. The entire arsenal of means was used for the liquidation - from explosive devices mounted in a telephone receiver to capture and execution on the spot. The Mossad fighters "raised their ears" all of Europe and Central Asia. Nobody left the reprisal.
Mossad and Skorzeny
The extent to which the Mossad has long arms was revealed in 2006, when information appeared in the public domain that Otto Skorzeny himself collaborated with the Israeli secret service. It was about the confrontation between Israel and Egypt, in which the military program was in full swing in those years. At the same time, Germans from among the former Nazis worked for Egypt. Strengthening Egypt was dangerous for Israel and the Mossad launched an operation.
The then secret service director Meir Amit began recruiting German military specialists in Egypt. Rafi Eitan was in charge of the operation. The Mossad were looking for an "ex-Nazi" who could get important documents. Skorzenni became such an "ex-Nazi". He was recruited by the Mossad in exchange for "freedom from fear." Eichmann's murder before that made Skorzeny realize he might be next.
The Mossad also recruited Valentine, also a former Nazi and Skorzeny's acquaintance. He oversaw the hiring of German specialists by Egypt and ensured their safety. That is, he had full access to all documents. Valentin took pictures of the documents and handed them over to Skorzeny. Skorzeny to Meiru.
The Mossad made a knight's move. Lists of all illegally working Germans in Egypt were delivered to the Minister of Defense of the Federal Republic of Germany, Strauss. To avoid an international scandal, Strauss chose to recall the scientists. They were simply "bought" - offered compensation greater than their future royalties. Of course, in his memoirs, Otto Skorzeny did not say a word about his "friendship" with Israeli intelligence.
Alexey Rudevich