MOSSAD

The Mossad is the national intelligence agency of Israel. "Mossad" is the Hebrew word for institute or institution.

"Where no stratagem is, the people fall; but in the multitude of counsellors there is salvation." (Proverbs 11:14)

Seal of The Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations. Formed in December 13, 1949 as the Central Institute for Coordination.


The Mossad is responsible for intelligence collection and covert operations including paramilitary activities. It is one of the main entities in the Israeli Intelligence Community, along with Aman (military intelligence) and Shin Bet (internal security), but its director reports directly to the Prime Minister.

The "Mossad Le'aliyah Bet" was a small, unorthodox Zionist organization whose mission in 1938 was to bring Jews to the British mandate of Palestine. This was done to subvert the British quotas on Jewish immigration. The Mossad's modes of operation, its ideology, and politics resulted in the creation of the intelligence agency for the Israeli government once it was established in 1948. The agency consisted of several of the existing members who had worked to establish Israel as a Jewish state.



Some people suspect the Mossad of orchestrating the assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, a senior Hamas military commander in January 2010. A team thought to consist of 11 agents, travelling on fake passports, entered al-Mabhouh's hotel room. Mabhouh was allegedly electrocuted and interrogated for information, and then his veins were injected with poison, then the door to his room locked from the outside. Burns were found under his ears, on his legs, in his groin and on his chest.Although Hamas has declared Israel responsible for the assassination, no evidence linking Mossad to the activity has been found. Some commentators have pointed out that, based on the available evidence, the assassination is just as likely to have been a false flag operation. The passports used included 6 British, clones of real British nationals living in Israel and 3 forged Irish identities. False French and German passports were also used.