IDF: ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE

1972 Olympic Games in Munich Germany

There is only one country in the world that faces the threat of total elimination on a daily basis. The security obstacles that lie in the daily lives of Israeli’s are extremely evident.   Israeli citizens understand that as a people, they are not welcome by their surrounding Arab neighbors. Few, if any Israelis forget that if Israel was to lose any conflict or war with the Arab world, their country would be eliminated.

 Israeli counterparts like Hamas have chosen not to mention Israel in any of its literature.  Its educational volumes list Palestine as encompassing the entire Israeli border.  Iran, which considers Israel “the cancer” of the Middle East, has spent the last ten years promoting the destruction of Israel with absolutely no fear of retaliation from the rest of the world.

Considering this direct threat funneled through Iran and its terror tributaries, Israel has no choice but to arm its entire population with intelligence and defense mechanisms vital to their survival. Today, Iran’s inability to negotiate with world leaders on a professional level keeps the IDF on constant watch.

As Rosenthal notes in her book The Israelis, Sergent Eli Rosenfeld describes the IDF "as a complex melting pot of culture"(p.57). With access to superior education and diverse surroundings, men, and more importantly women play heavy roles in the training and intelligence operations critical to Israel’s defense. Special units and elite soldiers man special tasks designed for covert offensives that do not reveal their origin. All avenues to advantage are tightened and specialized into elite sections of battle-ready units.  Soldiers employ bugging, tapping, and special listening techniques allowing the interception of enemy kills, moves and transmissions. Their ability to closely implant themselves without detection is critical to the success of thwarting large terrorist and military advancements.

Special operations like the tracking of Yasser Arafat and the analysis of papers found in his compound after his death (p.68) is a perfect example of how intelligence can reveal real truths of enemy movement and intention. The bomb labs and terror factories found in Jenin would later confirm all suspicions.

 IDF intelligence units along with Massad operatives sworn to total secrecy are considered elite organizations by much of the globe. Israel prides itself on this ideal which helps with acquiring new recruits destined for spy life.

One special intelligence unit most common among the terror resistance side of the IDF is the Sayerot Mat’kal.  Founded in 1959 it’s responsible for decisive assassinations that have allowed for Israel to stop the development of terrorist attacks. In time of war this unit is employed on special recon missions designed to place the military in proper positions for offensive action.  When not engaged in war, Unit 269 is strictly an intelligence spy operation designed to reveal the secret positions of jihad hopefuls all over Israel, Gaza and the occupied territories.

 Here are a few of its most memorable accomplishments, both good and bad.

 Operation Isotope  1972

Prior to the massacre in Munich during the 1972 Olympic games, another incident involving the same Black September terrorists engaged the Sayerot Matkal when a  Sabena plane loaded with passengers landed in Tel Aviv.  With terrorists on board demanding the release of 315 Palestinian prisoners, IDF officials set in place the rescue of hostages and elimination of the Terrorist unit on board.  On May 8, disguised as airport refueling technicians, 16 Israel commandos raided the planed killing two of the four terrorists and taking the other two captive. With only one prisoner’s life lost, the operation was a complete success.  In the wake of the hostage recovery, Ehud Barak and Benjamin Netanyahu would receive great honors and popularity within the IDF as well as Israeli politics.

 

Munich apartment Raided by IDF

Operation Spring of Youth 1972

Hell-bent on the capture and imprisonment of persons responsible for the massacre in Munich, Israeli officials devised an elaborate plan to secretly invade Lebanese beaches and advance upon two high rise structures in the city of Verdun, which supposedly housed the individuals who planned the Olympic shootings. Upon arrival, zodiac boats landed on the Lebanese coast where the Matkal commandos were ushered in via civilian rental cars directly to their targets.  Once there, PLO operatives were surprised in their own homes resulting in the assassination of all three targets.  Two IDF commandos were killed but the operation was a complete success.  Barak was also involved in this operation and again received high honors for his bravery. More Info.

Ma'alot Massacre Incident – 1974

Occasionally, these secret operations are botched like the one at Mahalot High School in 1974. DFLP (Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine) terrorists invaded the school taking teachers, students and employees hostage.  Armed with an old World War II Mauser 98, unequipped for precise long range engagements, the sniper fired at one of the hostage takers only wounding him. This inability to kill the target resulted in the varying display of aimless gunfire at the hostages.  More casualties mounted when that gunfire was followed by a hash of grenade tosses eliminating the rescue operation. 21 people were killed along with 2 others killed by friendly fire, the result of a lack in preparation and training.

Seeing how the rest of the world removes themselves from the conflicts constantly arising in Israel, it is critical for the IDF to maintain a watchful eye on the Arab and Palestinian citizens operating within the state.  Military force has been the only viable resource for maintaining a Jewish nation when all seven Arab countries have vowed in the past to eliminate it. The old adage “keep your friends close and your enemies closer” is a reality in this region. With Palestinians and Arabs shielding themselves with the lives of women and children and launching rockets from schools and hospitals, anything is possible.  It is proof that the IDFs reliance on ground intelligence is massive, and without it, Israel would most definitely cease to exist.