Aman

Aman (Agaf ha-Modi'in) is Israel's military intelligence agency.Aman, GlobalSecurity.org, accessed 29 July 2009. It is known by a number of terms in English, including Israeli Defence Intelligence (IDI).Private Israeli Company Collects Counter-terrorism Intelligence, Wikileaks, 1 September 2011.
Although often overshadowed by Mossad and Shin Bet, Aman has historically been the largest Israeli intelligence agency. It is a part of the military general staff, reporting to the Chief of Staff and the Minister of Defence.Dan Raviv and Yossi Melman, Every Spy a Prince: The Complete History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, pp.207-208.
==History==
===Six Day War and War of Attrition===
Aman's correct prediction that the Soviet Union would not intervene in the Six Day War, strengthened the agency's established view of the late 1960s, that the Soviet Union would not risk a confrontation with the United States in the Middle East.Dima P. Adamsky, American and Israeli Intelligence Failure, in Nigel John Ashton, ed., The Cold War in the Middle East: Regional Conflict and the Superpowers, 1967-73, Routledge, 2007, pp.115-116. As a result, Aman was taken by surprise when Soviet military advisors were attached to Egyptian military units in 1970.Dan Raviv and Yossi Melman, Every Spy a Prince: The Complete History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, pp.208.
===Yom Kippur War===
Neverthless, Aman's leadership remained strongly attached to the 'konseptzia', the belief that Egypt was too weak and disorganised to risk attacking Israel.Dan Raviv and Yossi Melman, Every Spy a Prince: The Complete History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, pp.209. Following the Agranat Commission into the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Aman chief Eliahu Zeira and a number of his subordinates lost their jobs.Dan Raviv and Yossi Melman, Every Spy a Prince: The Complete History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, pp.212.
===1980s - Lebanon and the Intifada===
According a 1985 report in The Times, Aman was wary of Israel's involvement in Lebanon in the early 1980s:
::It was Mossad, the body responsible for covert operations, that built up Israel's secret links with the Christian Phalange, a policy regarded with scepticism by Aman. But in a rare moment of agreement the heads of both organizations, Major Generals Saguy (Aman) and Hofi (Mossad) advised in 1982 against the invasion.
::The current chief of military intelligence, Major General Ehud Barak, is reportedly prominent among officers who are trying to reestablish the conventional Israeli strategic doctrines that were flouted in the era of Ariel Sharon and Chief of Staff Rafael Eitan.Michael Pinto-Duschinsky, Lebanon - army and hawks divide / Israeli foreign policy, 11 June 1985.
Although this doctrine held that states rather than non-state actors were the primary threat, Barak and his successor as Aman commander were nevertheless reportedly directing operations from on board a Boeing jet off the coast of Tunisia when Israel assassinated Abu Jihad of the PLO in 1988.Dan Raviv and Yossi Melman, Every Spy a Prince: The Complete History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, p.396.
===2006 Lebanon war===
According to a study by the Rand Corporation, Aman issued an 130 page document on 'Hezbollah's War Conception' in January 2006, which accurately reported the location of many of Hezbollah's short-range rockets, but because of classification restrictions, this information did not always reach front-line commanders during the conflict later that year.Benjamin S. Lambeth, Air Operations in Israel's War Against Hezbollah: Learning from Lebanon and Getting It Right in Gaza, Rand Corporation, 2011, p.150.
===Gaza War===
Following the 2006 Lebanon War, according to a Rand Corporation study, Aman began a systematic 'intelligence soak' of the Gaza Strip, which identified a list of 603 allegedly Hamas-related targets for the Israeli Air Force in the subsequent Gaza War of 2008-2009.Benjamin S. Lambeth, Air Operations in Israel's War Against Hezbollah: Learning from Lebanon and Getting It Right in Gaza, Rand Corporation, 2011, p.238.
==Structure and Personnel==
Journalists Dan Raviv and Yossi Melman reported that Aman consisted of six departments in 1991, of which the largest were the collection and production departments.
===Leadership===
====Directors of Military Intelligence====
*Isser Be'eri 1948-49
*Col. Chaim Herzog 1949-50
*Col. Binyamin Gibli 1950-55
*Maj. Gen. Yehoshafat Harkabi 1955-59
*Maj. Gen. Chaim Herzog 1959-62
*Maj. Gen. Meir Amit 1962-63
*Maj. Gen. Aharon Yariv 1964-72
*Maj. Gen. Eliahu Zeira 1972-74
*Maj. Gen. Shlomo Gazit 1974-78
*Maj. Gen. Yehoshua Saguy 1979-83
*Maj. Gen. Ehud Barak 1983-85
*Maj. Gen. Amnon Shahak 1986-91
*Maj. Gen. Uri Saguy 1991-95
*Maj. Gen. Moshe Ya'alon 1995ISRAEL - Heads of A'man, Mossad, & Shin Bet, The Literature of Intelligence, Muskingum University,via the Internet Archive, accessed 29 July 2009.-1998
*Maj. Gen. Amos Malka 1998Ira Chernus, Helping Israel on a False and Dangerous Course, CommonDreams.org, 28 June 2004. -2001
*Maj. Gen. Aharon Zeevi Farkash
*Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin 2006-2010.
*Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi 2010-Anshel Pfeffer and Amos Harel, Rising star Kochavi to replace Yadlin as IDF intelligence chief, Haaretz, 17 September 2011.
====Deputy Directors of Military Intelligence====
*Yehoshafat Harkabi 1950-1955Avi Shlaim, Obituary: Professor Yehoshafat Harkabi, The independent, 14 September 1994.
*Yuval Ne'eman 1955-1957Yuval Ne'eman, The Telegraph, 15 May 2006.
*Uzi Narkis c.1958Avi Shlaim, [Israel, the Great Powers, and the Middle East Crisis of 1958], Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History, 12:2, May 1999, archived at users.ox.ac.uk, accessed 9 July 2012.
*David Carmon c.1967.Ami Gluska, The Israeli Military and the Origins of the 1967 War: Government, Armed Forces and Defence Policy 1963-1967, Taylor & Francis, 2007, p.105.
*Zvi LidorAryeh Shalev, Israel's Intelligence Assessment Before the Yom Kippur War: Disentangling Deception and Distraction, Sussex Academic Press, v p.192.
*Reuven Yerdor c.1982.Seymour M. Hersh, The Samson Option, Faber and Faber, 1993, p.293.
*Meir Elran 1987-1989Meir Elran, Institute for National Security Studies, accessed 9 July 2012.
*Danny Rothschild c.1991Danny Rothschild, World Economic Forum, accessed 10 July 2012.
===Collection Department===
The Collection Department is responsible for both agent and informer human intelligence, and for signals intelligence.
====Heads of the Collection Department====
*Eliahu Zeira c.1960sAmos Gilboa, Yochai Erlich, eds., Israel's Silent Defender: An Inside Look at Sixty Years of Israeli Intelligence, Gefen, 2011, p.65.
*Menahem Digli c.1973.Uri Bar-Joseph, The Watchman Fell Asleep: The Surprise Of Yom Kippur And Its Sources, Suny Press, 2005, p.236.
*Yossi Langotsky
*Ephraim Lapid
====SIGINT - Unit 8200====
*Main Page Unit 8200.
Aman's signals intelligence capability is provided by Unit 8200.Michael I. Handel, Thomas G. Mahnken, eds, Paradoxes of Strategic Intelligence: Essays in Honor of Michael I. Handel, Routledge, 2004, p.168. Prior to 1976, the unit was known as Unit 848.Ephraim Kahana, Historical Dictionary of Israeli Intelligence, Scarecrow Press, 2006, p.43.
====HUMINT====
The Collection Department controls a unit responsible for human sources.Aryeh Shalev, Israel's Intelligence Assessment Before the Yom Kippur War: Disentangling Deception and Distraction, Sussex Academic Press, 2010, p.5.
====OSINT====
The Collection Department controls a unit responsible for open source intelligence.Aryeh Shalev, Israel's Intelligence Assessment Before the Yom Kippur War: Disentangling Deception and Distraction, Sussex Academic Press, 2010, p.5.
===Production Department===
The production department is responsible for intelligence analysis. The Department is known in Hebrew as Aman Mehkar.Steve Rodan, Dynamic Duo, Jerusalem Post, 14 October 1994. English sources use various names for the department including research department, production department, research and analysis department, analysis and production department and research division. 
The Department is organised in a desk system along functional and geographical lines.
====Heads of the Production Department====
*David Carmon c.1959-1962.Amir Oren, From Erdelhun to Erdogan, Haaretz, 12 September 2011.Aryeh Shalev, Israel's Intelligence Assessment Before the Yom Kippur War: Disentangling Deception and Distraction, Sussex Academic Press, v p.105.
*Shlomo Gazit c.1967.Aryeh Shalev, Israel's Intelligence Assessment Before the Yom Kippur War: Disentangling Deception and Distraction, Sussex Academic Press, v p.255.
*Aryeh Shalev 1967-1974.
*Aviezer Yaari c.1981.Uri Dromi, Quiet Man, Unquiet Times, Haaretz, 18 June 2004.
*Amos Gilboa 1981-1984.Steve Rodan, Dynamic Duo, Jerusalem Post, 14 October 1994. 
*Danny Rothschild c.1991.Danny Rothschild, World Economic Forum, accessed 10 July 2012.
*Ya'acov Ami-Dror c.1992-c.1994.Steve Rodan, Dynamic Duo, Jerusalem Post, 14 October 1994. 
*Amos Gilad - 1996-2001Akiva Eldar, Popular Misconceptions, Haaretz, 11 June 2004.
*Yosef Kuperwasser c.2001-2006.About Us, American Center for Democracy, accessed 31 July 2009, archived at the Internet Archive.
*Yossi Beyditz c.2006-2011.Ronny Sofer, IDF: Syrian army in battle positions, ynetnews.com, 15 october 2006.
*Itai Brun 2011-Amos Gilboa, Yochai Erlich, eds., Israel's Silent Defender: An Inside Look at Sixty Years of Israeli Intelligence, Gefen, 2011, p.382.
====Assistant Directors of the Research Division for Evaluation====
*Col. Gideon Gera c.1973Aryeh Shalev, Israel's Intelligence Assessment Before the Yom Kippur War: Disentangling Deception and Distraction, Sussex Academic Press, 2010, p.5.
*Meir ElranMeir Elran, Institute for National Security Studies, accessed 9 July 2012.
*Ephraim Kam c.1993Ephraim Kam, Institute for National Security Studies, accessed 10 July 2012.
====Assistant Director for Operations====
*Col. Aharon Levran c.1973Aryeh Shalev, Israel's Intelligence Assessment Before the Yom Kippur War: Disentangling Deception and Distraction, Sussex Academic Press, 2010, p.5.
====Basic Research Team====
*Col. Shlomo Marom Head c.1973.Aryeh Shalev, Israel's Intelligence Assessment Before the Yom Kippur War: Disentangling Deception and Distraction, Sussex Academic Press, 2010, p.5.
*Major Amos Gilboa member of the Basic Research Team, c.1973.Uri Bar-Joseph, The Watchman Fell Asleep: The Surprise Of Yom Kippur And Its Sources, Suny Press, 2005, p.115.
====Southern Area desk====
*Jordan and the Arabian peninsula. Known as Branch 2 at the time of the Yom Kippur War.Uri Bar-Joseph, The Watchman Fell Asleep: The Surprise Of Yom Kippur And Its Sources, Suny Press, 2005, p.300.
*Lt. Col. Zusia Kaniazher head c.1973.Uri Bar-Joseph, The Watchman Fell Asleep: The Surprise Of Yom Kippur And Its Sources, Suny Press, 2005, p.290.
====International Desk====
Known as Branch 3.Uri Bar-Joseph, The Watchman Fell Asleep: The Surprise Of Yom Kippur And Its Sources, Suny Press, 2005, p.300. Responsible for the superpowers at the time of the Yom Kippur war.Uri Bar-Joseph, The Watchman Fell Asleep: The Surprise Of Yom Kippur And Its Sources, Suny Press, 2005, p.138.
*Avraham Lif, c.1972.Aryeh Shalev, Israel's Intelligence Assessment Before the Yom Kippur War: Disentangling Deception and Distraction, Sussex Academic Press, 2010, p.xxii.
*Chaim Yavetz, head c.1973.Uri Bar-Joseph, The Watchman Fell Asleep: The Surprise Of Yom Kippur And Its Sources, Suny Press, 2005, p.179.
*Arie Adan, head of the American desk, c.late 1960s.Dima P. Adamsky, American and Israeli Intelligence Failure, in Nigel John Ashton, ed., The Cold War in the Middle East: Regional Conflict and the Superpowers, 1967-73, Routledge, 2007, p.131.
*Moshe Noiman, first head of the Soviet military desk.Dima P. Adamsky, American and Israeli Intelligence Failure, in Nigel John Ashton, ed., The Cold War in the Middle East: Regional Conflict and the Superpowers, 1967-73, Routledge, 2007, p.131.
*Meir Elran, head of the Soviet military section, c.1973.Uri Bar-Joseph, The Watchman Fell Asleep: The Surprise Of Yom Kippur And Its Sources, Suny Press, 2005, p.179.
*Ilan Tehila, head of the Soviet political section, c.1973.Uri Bar-Joseph, The Watchman Fell Asleep: The Surprise Of Yom Kippur And Its Sources, Suny Press, 2005, p.291.
====Eastern Area desk====
*Responsible for Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. Also known as Branch 5.Uri Bar-Joseph, The Watchman Fell Asleep: The Surprise Of Yom Kippur And Its Sources, Suny Press, 2005, p.300.
*Lt. Col. Aviezer Yaari, head 1971-c.1973.Uri Bar-Joseph, The Watchman Fell Asleep: The Surprise Of Yom Kippur And Its Sources, Suny Press, 2005, p.47.
*Maj. Yekutiel Mor, head of the military section, c.1973.Uri Bar-Joseph, The Watchman Fell Asleep: The Surprise Of Yom Kippur And Its Sources, Suny Press, 2005, p.183.
====Western Area desk====
*Responsible for Egypt, Sudan and Libya. Known as Branch 6 at the time of the Yom Kippur War.Michael I. Handel, Thomas G. Mahnken, eds, Paradoxes of Strategic Intelligence: Essays in Honor of Michael I. Handel, Routledge, 2004, p.166.
*Meir MeirUri Bar-Joseph, The Watchman Fell Asleep: The Surprise Of Yom Kippur And Its Sources, Suny Press, 2005, p.251.
*Lt. Col. Yonah Bandman head c.1973.Michael I. Handel, Thomas G. Mahnken, eds, Paradoxes of Strategic Intelligence: Essays in Honor of Michael I. Handel, Routledge, 2004, p.166.
*Lt. Col. Zusia Kaniazher
*Mr Albert Sudai, head of political section c.1973.Uri Bar-Joseph, The Watchman Fell Asleep: The Surprise Of Yom Kippur And Its Sources, Suny Press, 2005, p.110.
*Yaacov Rosenfeld, head of military section c.1973.Uri Bar-Joseph, The Watchman Fell Asleep: The Surprise Of Yom Kippur And Its Sources, Suny Press, 2005, p.291.
*Moshe Noiman - officer on the political desk. c.late 1960s.Dima P. Adamsky, American and Israeli Intelligence Failure, in Nigel John Ashton, ed., The Cold War in the Middle East: Regional Conflict and the Superpowers, 1967-73, Routledge, 2007, p.131.
====Branch 7====
*Technical/technological desk.Uri Bar-Joseph, The Watchman Fell Asleep: The Surprise Of Yom Kippur And Its Sources, Suny Press, 2005, p.236.
===="Terror and Palestinians" desk====
*Palestinian desk.
*Gadi Zohar - Head c.1976.Amos Gilboa, Yochai Erlich, eds., Israel's Silent Defender: An Inside Look at Sixty Years of Israeli Intelligence, Gefen, 2011, p.87.
*Ephraim Lavie - Head 1998-2002.Amos Gilboa, Yochai Erlich, eds., Israel's Silent Defender: An Inside Look at Sixty Years of Israeli Intelligence, Gefen, 2011, p.384.
*Zmira Lavi - ' Head of the Palestinian research and analysis section' - date not known.Consultants, MM~Law, accessed 15 July 2013.
====Report and Circulation Center====
*Established after the 1967 Six Day War to circulate material from the various collection agencies within military intelligence.Aryeh Shalev, Israel's Intelligence Assessment Before the Yom Kippur War: Disentangling Deception and Distraction, Sussex Academic Press, 2010, p.6.
===="Foreign left-wing groups" desk====
*Haaretz reported in March 2011 that a department had been created in the research division that "will monitor Western groups involved in boycotting Israel, divesting from it or imposing sanctions on it. The unit will also collect information about groups that attempt to bring war crime or other charges against high-ranking Israeli officials, and examine possible links between such organizations and terror groups."Barak Ravid, Military Intelligence monitoring foreign left-wing organizations Haaretz, 21 March 2011.
====Other desks====
*Inter-Arab relations.
*Middle East Economics.
*Territory and targets.Aryeh Shalev, Israel's Intelligence Assessment Before the Yom Kippur War: Disentangling Deception and Distraction, Sussex Academic Press, 2010, p.6.
*A desk responsible for aerial photography existed within the Research Department in 1973.Aryeh Shalev, Israel's Intelligence Assessment Before the Yom Kippur War: Disentangling Deception and Distraction, Sussex Academic Press, 2010, p.6.
===Field Security Department===
Responsible for security across the IDF.Aryeh Shalev, Israel's Intelligence Assessment Before the Yom Kippur War: Disentangling Deception and Distraction, Sussex Academic Press, 2010, p.5.
===Organization Department===
Handles administration matters such as logistics, finance and personnel.Aryeh Shalev, Israel's Intelligence Assessment Before the Yom Kippur War: Disentangling Deception and Distraction, Sussex Academic Press, 2010, p.5.
==Contact==
*Website: http://www1.idf.il/aman/site/default.asp
==External Resources==
*Barak Ravid, 'Military Intelligence monitoring foreign left-wing organizations', Haaretz, 21 March 2011.
*Gili Cohen, Israel's Military Intelligence Monitoring Dozens of BDS Groups Around the World, Haaretz, 18 August 2015.
==Notes==
Category:IsraelCategory:IDFCategory:Spooks Category:Israeli intelligence