From: arens@ISI.EDU (Yigal Arens)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.mideast
Subject: A day in the life of a secret service
Date: 28 Sep 92 01:07:15 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: USC/Information Sciences Institute

Appeared in the Hebrew language Los Angeles paper "Hadshot L.A." (LA
News), September 24, 1992.  Article supplied by the Israeli daily
Hadashot.

The choppy and confused nature of this news item is due, no doubt, to
the Israeli censor's unceasing efforts to preserve state security...


        WHY DID THE HIGH-RANKING SHABAK OFFICIAL HARASS
          ISRAEL RADIO CORRESPONDENT CARMELA MENASHE?

Special service from Hadashot

A seriously critical report by the comptroller of the General Security
Services [SHABAK - YA] concerning the SHABAK Director's own office
manager, was submitted last week to Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.  The
report indicates that the office manager, together with a female friend,
also a SHABAK employee, harassed for some days Israel Radio's
correspondent for military affairs, Ms. Carmela Menashe.  For this
purpose they made use of a service vehicle of the bureau and a SHABAK
celular phone.  The harassment included obscene language and racist
insults.

The harassment began several months ago.  Information concerning the
matter was provided to the Director of the SHABAK, and it ceased only
as a result of his intervention.  Despite the fact that there was no
doubt concerning the veracity of the reports, the Director of the
General Security Services refrained from dismissing his office manager
from his post and was satisifed with a warning only.

At the root of the story, according to the report, is a romantic
affair.  The office manager had become friendly with N., the wife of his
best friend, who was also his wife's best friend.  A romantic
relationship developed between the office manager and the friend's wife,
as a result of which they both decided to divorce.  A year and a half
later, radio correspondent Menashe came to know N.'s husband, who was
in the process of divorce and living outside his home.  The office
manager and the female employee decided to pressure him concerning
financial matters, using the correspondent.

The SHABAK comptroller began his investigation approximately a month
ago, after receiving a formal complaint and much information about the
affair.  The investigation turned up that the two, the office manager
and the female security service employee N., came to Menashe's home.
According to the report, the office manager waited in the car, which
belonged to the security service, while his accomplice pushed the
intercom button at the correspondent's door in the early hours of the
morning.  Later, the report continues, they got into the car, and from
there, using the SHABAK's celular phone, they continued to harass,
curse, and make obscene calls.  The female employee, the comptroller
states, called the home of the correspondent, who covers the SHABAK in
the course of her work, and during whole nights left messages, insults
and obscene remarks.

The SHABAK comptroller, who, as stated earlier, received the complaint
about a month ago, initiated the internal investigation, that resulted
in a very critical report which was submitted to the Prime Minister,
Yitzhak Rabin.  The matter was also brought to the attention of the
heads of the security system, including high ranking members of the
Knesset Committee for Foreign Affairs and Security, who discussed it
with the Director of the SHABAK.

The report also stated that the office manager lied to the comptroller
in response to a question posed to him.

These matters were brought to the attention of the Prime Minister, who
will be determining in the next few days the steps to be taken against
the SHABAK Director's office manager.

Ms. Carmela Menashe has refused to comment on the matter in any way.
--
Yigal Arens        "You'd think [Bush] was running for First Lady instead
USC/ISI            of for President."     Bill Clinton, commenting on GOP
arens@isi.edu      attacks on his wife.   LA Times, 8/20.