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The Israeli Military Intelligence ( he, אגף המודיעין; ''Agaf HaModi'in''; lit. "the Intelligence Section"), often abbreviated to Aman ( he, אמ״ן), is the central, overarching
military intelligence Military intelligence is a military discipline that uses information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to assist commanders in their decisions. This aim is achieved by providing an assessment of data from a ...
body of the
Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...
. Aman was created in 1950, when the Intelligence Department was spun off from the IDF's
General Staff A military staff or general staff (also referred to as army staff, navy staff, or air staff within the individual services) is a group of officers, enlisted and civilian staff who serve the commander of a division or other large military ...
(the Intelligence Department itself was composed largely of former members of the
Haganah Haganah ( he, הַהֲגָנָה, lit. ''The Defence'') was the main Zionist paramilitary organization of the Jewish population ("Yishuv") in Mandatory Palestine between 1920 and its disestablishment in 1948, when it became the core of the I ...
Intelligence Service). Aman is an independent service, and not part of the ground forces,
Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...
or the
Air Force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an ...
. It is one of the main entities (and the largest component) of the Israeli Intelligence Community, along with
Mossad Mossad ( , ), ; ar, الموساد, al-Mōsād, ; , short for ( he, המוסד למודיעין ולתפקידים מיוחדים, links=no), meaning 'Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations'. is the national intelligence agency ...
and Shin Bet. It is currently headed by
Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...
Aharon Haliva Aharon Haliva ( he, אהרון חליוה; born 1967) is an Israeli Major general (Aluf) who commands the IDF's Military Intelligence Directorate (Israel). Military service Haliva was drafted into the IDF in 1985. He volunteered as a paratrooper ...
. It includes the cyber warfare branch Unit 8200, the secret technology Unit 81, and the training course Havatzalot Program. Its special operations unit is General Staff Reconnaissance Unit ( Sayeret Matkal).


Roles and jurisdiction

The IDF's Intelligence Corps (), abbreviated as Haman () and headed by a
brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointe ...
, has been detached from Aman since the
Yom Kippur War The Yom Kippur War, also known as the Ramadan War, the October War, the 1973 Arab–Israeli War, or the Fourth Arab–Israeli War, was an armed conflict fought from October 6 to 25, 1973 between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by E ...
, but remains under its jurisdiction. In April 2000, the newest IDF corps was founded (the IDF's fifth land corps), the Combat Intelligence Collection Corps (), abbreviated as Modash (). It was designed to fulfill some of Aman's former combat intelligence functions, and is also headed by a Brigadier General. Although it falls under the operational jurisdiction of the
GOC Army Headquarters The GOC Army Headquarters ( he, מפקדת זרוע היבשה, ''Mifkedet Zro'a HaYabasha'', abbreviated Mazi), is a multi-corps command headquarters created in 1998, which amalgamates the ground forces of the Israel Defense Forces. The current ...
, it also falls under Aman's professional jurisdiction. In 1976, according to the ''Lexicon of National Security'', some of Aman's principal roles consisted of: #Intelligence evaluation for security policy, military planning and "fluid security policy," and the dissemination of intelligence to IDF and governmental bodies. #Field security at the level of the General Staff (today, Matkal: ), and the training and operation of field security in general (all levels). #The operation of military censorship. #Direction and operation of the 'Collection Agencies'. #Drawing maps; providing the direction and supervision for the dissemination of maps. #The development of 'special measures' for intelligence work. #The development of intelligence doctrine in the realms of research, collection, and field security. #Staff responsibility for military attachés overseas.


History

During the founding of the state of Israel, the
Haganah Haganah ( he, הַהֲגָנָה, lit. ''The Defence'') was the main Zionist paramilitary organization of the Jewish population ("Yishuv") in Mandatory Palestine between 1920 and its disestablishment in 1948, when it became the core of the I ...
military organization was primarily responsible for gathering intelligence, or one of its elite units, the Scherut Jediot (secret service), or Shai. Prime Minister David Ben Gurion commissioned the Shai in the late 1940s to create a secret service structure for Israel. Shai member Re’uwen Schiloach established based on Shai four independent services: Aman and Schin Bet and also the foreign intelligence service Machleket Hacheker and the Institute for Illegal Immigration Mossad le-Alija Bet (defunct in March 1952). In addition, in mid-1949 Shiloah created the Committee of Secret Service chiefs as a super-ordinate body. From 1963 the international secret service was officially called ''"Institute for Intelligence Service and Special Tasks"'' (ha-Mosad le-Modi'in u-le-Tafkidim Mejuhadim), short
Mossad Mossad ( , ), ; ar, الموساد, al-Mōsād, ; , short for ( he, המוסד למודיעין ולתפקידים מיוחדים, links=no), meaning 'Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations'. is the national intelligence agency ...
. An offshoot of the Department of Defense was also the lesser-known Lakam technology intelligence agency. The existence of which was long considered a state secret. It was used to obtain scientific and technological information. In the 1980s, however, the Lakam lost much of its previous importance. One of the biggest defeats of the Israeli secret services was caused by the Aman in the 1950s. Defense Minister Pinhas Lavon had to resign as part of the so-called Lavon affair. Aman-led " Operation Susannah" was intended to attack western facilities in Egypt by Israeli agents and saboteurs. The aim was to disrupt the good ties between the United States and the Egyptian head of state,
Gamal Abdel Nasser Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein, . (15 January 1918 – 28 September 1970) was an Egyptian politician who served as the second president of Egypt from 1954 until his death in 1970. Nasser led the Egyptian revolution of 1952 and introduced far-r ...
. The US should believe that the Egyptian state is powerless against religious organizations. Egypt managed uncover the agent circle. Ten members were sentenced in a show trial in January 1955, two of them to death. Lavon resigned a month later, then
Benjamin Gibli Binyamin Gibli (1919 – August 19, 2008) was the head of Israeli Military Intelligence from June 1950 to March 1955.Shabtai Teveth (1996) ''Ben-Gurion's Spy: The Story of the Political Scandal That Shaped Modern Israel'' Columbia University press ...
, then Aman's director, two weeks later. Ultimately, Head of State Ben Gurion resigned in 1963 after being worn down by ongoing discussions.


Units

Aman consists of the following subordinate and professionally subordinate units:


Staff units

* Intelligence Corps


Collection units

*
Camp 1391 Camp 1391 or Unit 1391 or Facility 1391 is an Israel Defense Forces prison camp in northern Israel for "high-risk" prisoners.
* Unit 8200 *


Research

*
Research Department Research is "creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness t ...


Information security

*
Information Security Department {{Unreferenced, date=December 2009 The Information Security Department ( he, המערך לביטחון מידע, ''HaMa'arakh LeVithon Meida'', abbreviated to ''Mahbam'') is a department in the Israel Defense Forces' Directorate of Military Intell ...
* Military Censor art of Aman, but an entirely independent unit, not subordinate to any military or political level, only to parliamentary and judicial oversight/sup>


Special operation division

* Unit 81 * General Staff Reconnaissance Unit * Intelligence center


Other units

*
Supervision Department Supervision is an act or instance of directing, managing, or oversight. Etymology The English noun "supervision" derives from the two Latin words "super" (above) and "videre" (see, observe). Spelling The spelling is "Supervision" in Standard ...
*
External Relations Department External may refer to: * External (mathematics), a concept in abstract algebra * Externality, in economics, the cost or benefit that affects a party who did not choose to incur that cost or benefit * Externals The Externals are a group of ...
*
Ro'im Rachok Ro'im Rachok () is a program designed to train young autistic adults in professions by the Israel Defense Forces. Qualified young adults, who want to volunteer for service in the IDF or integrate into the job market, are taught professions for which ...
* Havatzalot Program


Professionally subordinate units

* Air Intelligence Group: the intelligence unit of the
Israeli Air Force The Israeli Air Force (IAF; he, זְרוֹעַ הָאֲוִיר וְהֶחָלָל, Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal, tl, "Air and Space Arm", commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial warfare branch of the Israel Defens ...
* Naval Intelligence Division: the intelligence unit of the
Israeli Navy The Israeli Navy ( he, חיל הים הישראלי, ''Ḥeil HaYam HaYisraeli'' (English: The Israeli Sea Corps); ar, البحرية الإسرائيلية) is the naval warfare service arm of the Israel Defense Forces, operating primarily in ...
* Combat Intelligence Collection Corps: the intelligence unit of
GOC Army Headquarters The GOC Army Headquarters ( he, מפקדת זרוע היבשה, ''Mifkedet Zro'a HaYabasha'', abbreviated Mazi), is a multi-corps command headquarters created in 1998, which amalgamates the ground forces of the Israel Defense Forces. The current ...
*The intelligence units of the Regional Commands:
Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known a ...
,
Northern Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a r ...
,
Southern Southern may refer to: Businesses * China Southern Airlines, airline based in Guangzhou, China * Southern Airways, defunct US airline * Southern Air, air cargo transportation company based in Norwalk, Connecticut, US * Southern Airways Express, M ...
and
Home Front Home front is an English language term with analogues in other languages. It is commonly used to describe the full participation of the British public in World War I who suffered Zeppelin raids and endured food rations as part of what came t ...
Commands *
Center for Consciousness Operations Malat (Hebrew המרכז למבצעי תודעה) (מל"ת) is an Israel Defense Forces Operations Directorate unit which specializes in psychological warfare. History Malat was reactivated between 2004 and 2005 following five years of reduced oper ...
: a psychological warfare unit of the Operations Directorate


List of directors

The head of Aman is the senior intelligence officer in the IDF and engages in intelligence decision and policy-making at the same level as the heads of the Shabak and the
Mossad Mossad ( , ), ; ar, الموساد, al-Mōsād, ; , short for ( he, המוסד למודיעין ולתפקידים מיוחדים, links=no), meaning 'Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations'. is the national intelligence agency ...
: together, they form the three highest-ranking, co-equal heads of the Israeli Intelligence Community, focusing on the military, domestic (including the
Palestinian territories The Palestinian territories are the two regions of the former British Mandate for Palestine that have been militarily occupied by Israel since the Six-Day War of 1967, namely: the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip. The ...
), and foreign intelligence fronts respectively. On June 10, 2005, then-IDF's Chief of Staff,
Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on th ...
Dan Halutz, in a move viewed as surprising, announced that Major General
Aharon Zeevi-Farkash Aharon Ze'evi-Farkash ( he, אהרן זאבי-פרקש) (born 1948) is an Israeli general. He was the head of the Israeli Military Intelligence Directorate (''Aman'') from 2002 to 2006. Biography Ze'evi-Farkash was born in Beclean, in northeast ...
would be replaced by Major General Amos Yadlin. Yadlin, who had been serving as the IDF's
military attaché A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission, often an embassy. This type of attaché post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer, who retains a commission while serving with an embassy. Opport ...
in Washington, D.C., was a combat pilot, former head of the air force's Air Intelligence Directorate, and Halutz's deputy. Yadlin was appointed as Aman Director on January 5, 2006, with Zeevi-Farkash having served an extended term. In November 2010 Yadlin was replaced by Major General Aviv Kochavi. * 1948–1949: Isser Be'eri * 1949–1950: Colonel
Chaim Herzog Aluf, Major-General Chaim Herzog ( he, חיים הרצוג; 17 September 1918 – 17 April 1997) was an Irish-born Israeli politician, general, lawyer and author who served as the List of Presidents of Israel, sixth President of Israel between ...
* 1950–1955: Colonel Binyamin Gibli * 1955–1959: Major General
Yehoshafat Harkabi Yehoshafat Harkabi ( he, יהושפט הרכבי, born 1921, Haifa; died 26 August 1994, Jerusalem) was chief of Israeli military intelligence from 1955 until 1959 and afterwards a professor of International Relations and Middle East Studies at t ...
* 1959–1962: Major General
Chaim Herzog Aluf, Major-General Chaim Herzog ( he, חיים הרצוג; 17 September 1918 – 17 April 1997) was an Irish-born Israeli politician, general, lawyer and author who served as the List of Presidents of Israel, sixth President of Israel between ...
* 1962–1963: Major General Meir Amit * 1964–1972: Major General
Aharon Yariv Aharon Yariv ( he, אהרן רבינוביץ' יריב, 20 December 1920 – 7 May 1994) was an Israeli politician and general. Biography Aharon ("Aharale") Rabinovich (later Yariv) was born in Moscow in the Russian Soviet Federative Socialis ...
* 1972–1974: Major General
Eli Zeira Eli Zeira ( he, אלי זעירא) (born 1928) is a former major general in the Israel Defense Forces. He was director of Aman, Israel's military intelligence, during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. He is most remembered for his ill-conceived prewar as ...
* 1974–1978: Major General
Shlomo Gazit Shlomo Gazit ( he, שלמה גזית; 22 October 1926 – 8 October 2020) was an Israeli military officer and academic. A Major General in the Israel Defense Forces, he headed Israel's Military Intelligence Directorate. He later served as Presi ...
* 1979–1983: Major General
Yehoshua Sagi Yehoshua Sagi ( he, יהושע שגיא; 27 September 1933 – 18 February 2021) was an Israeli intelligence officer and politician. He was director of the Military Intelligence Directorate (1979–1983) a Knesset member for Likud (1988–1992) ...
* 1983–1985: Major General
Ehud Barak Ehud Barak ( he-a, אֵהוּד בָּרָק, Ehud_barak.ogg, link=yes, born Ehud Brog; 12 February 1942) is an Israeli general and politician who served as the tenth prime minister from 1999 to 2001. He was leader of the Labor Party until Jan ...
* 1986–1991: Major General
Amnon Lipkin-Shahak Amnon Lipkin-Shahak ( he, אמנון ליפקין-שחק; March 18, 1944 – December 19, 2012) was an Israeli military officer and politician. He served as Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, as a Member of the Knesset, and as Minister ...
* 1991–1995: Major General
Uri Sagi Uri Sagi ( he, אורי שגיא; born 5 August 1943) is an Israeli retired general who held several prominent posts including commander of the Golani Brigade and chief of the IDF's Military Intelligence Directorate. In 2000–2003 Uri Sagi was ...
* 1995–1998: Major General Moshe Ya'alon * 1998–2001: Major General * 2001–2006: Major General
Aharon Zeevi-Farkash Aharon Ze'evi-Farkash ( he, אהרן זאבי-פרקש) (born 1948) is an Israeli general. He was the head of the Israeli Military Intelligence Directorate (''Aman'') from 2002 to 2006. Biography Ze'evi-Farkash was born in Beclean, in northeast ...
* 2006–2010: Major General Amos Yadlin * 2010–2014: Major General
Aviv Kokhavi Rav-Aluf (Lieutenant General) Aviv Kochavi ( he, אביב כוכבי; born 23 April 1964) is the Chief of General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, having taken the oath of office on January 15, 2019. He was the commander of the Gaza Division, ...
* 2014–2018: Major General
Herzi Halevi Herzl "Herzi" Halevi ( he, הרצל "הרצי" הלוי; born 17 December 1967) is the Chief of General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, having taken the oath of office on January 16, 2023. He previously served as the commander of the Israe ...
* 2018–2021: Major General * 2021–present: Major General
Aharon Haliva Aharon Haliva ( he, אהרון חליוה; born 1967) is an Israeli Major general (Aluf) who commands the IDF's Military Intelligence Directorate (Israel). Military service Haliva was drafted into the IDF in 1985. He volunteered as a paratrooper ...


See also

* Israeli Security Forces * Israeli Intelligence Community


References


External links


GlobalSecurity.org on Aman (1996)
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080513121838/http://www.jafi.org.il/education/juice/service/week11.html "Israeli Intelligence and the Yom Kippur War of 1973," By Doron Geller, JUICE, The Jewish Agency for Israel, Education Dept.]
The "Yom Kippur War: the IDF version," by Amir Oren, for ''Haaretz''"Intelligence service under scrutiny," by Dan Baron, for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency
{{Authority control Israeli intelligence agencies Military intelligence agencies Israel Defense Forces directorates Military units and formations of Israel Military units and formations established in 1950