Reports are beginning to find their way into Israel’s media about what News1 ironically calls Meir Dagan’s “targeted killing” of an external investigation into a Mossad “incident” that occurred this year. The fact that the article uses the specific term targeted killing and notes that the incident was a “sensitive case” cries out for association with the Mossad’s most significant such assassination this past year, Mahmoud al-Mabouh.
The report further states that Dagan intervened to kill the investigation of which he was to be the star witness. It also notes that the case is connected to the decision to relieve Dagan of his duties. This would indicate to me that P.M. Netanyahu may’ve used the threat of investigation to secure Dagan’s resignation.
Maariv’s version of this story concludes with this strange non sequitur which appears to have nothing to do with the rest of the report:
According to foreign publications, the Mossad was responsible for the assassination of senior Hamas operative, Mahmoud al-Mabouh in Dubai.
A nod is as good as wink when you read such mysterious passages in Israeli security-related stories. Or as they say in Hebrew: ha-mayvin yavin (roughly translated: “he who knows knows”).
A confidential Israeli source confirms that the investigation was to be led by the Knesset foreign affairs and defense committee and that the subject was to be the al-Mabouh assassination. I have to say that in my many years of following Israeli politics I’ve never heard of a Knesset investigation of such a Mossad hit. Unless I’m mistaken, this would’ve been unprecedented, as even if it were conducted in private it would threaten to expose lots of potentially dirty laundry–one of the dirtiest secrets spilled would be confirming that Israel did the hit. Which is why part of me believes it might’ve been a way of pressuring Dagan to step down without having to fire him and all the messiness that might’ve ensued.
UPDATE: There was one such previous investigation–of the Khaled Meshal failed hit. What the two incidents have in common is that in both cases a Mossad assassination caused huge furor in the world community and jeopardized relations with key allies.
“What the two incidents have in common is that…” they were undertaken on behalf of PM Netanyahu?
Indeed, very true. I’d forgotten that. Reckless as always.
You mean: someone recognizes that Dagan’s cunning plan has done Israel’s security more harm than good?
Not exactly. I think Bibi was telling him that he would fry his ass publicly through an investigation if he didn’t go like a good boy. What’s funny is that Bibi was up to his eyeballs in the entire affair & should’ve been investigated along w. Dagan. The idea that Bibi didn’t know or approve of the operation is ridiculous.
Richard, your logic is kind of skewed.
Dagan is a postilion consider being a trust position (at will employee is the American term, i think) and can be fired at the will of the PM (in this case bibi) so why would the PM play all those games when he can just fire him ?
You don’t just fire the Mossad director esp. if he’s willing to wage war against you politically if you do so. Consider how much dirty Dagan has on everyone in Israeli politics. Do you know how long J Edgar Hoover held on–how many decades? He was an at will employee too & his bosses hated his guts. But they weren’t willing to fire him.
Richard, this is extremely lame.
such a travesty never happened in the history of the mossad, and you have no reason to think that it will this time.
Dagen is being replaced after a very successful 8 years as the head of mossad.
Khaled Meshal hit. Or did you forget about that travesty/fiasco???
With the US engaged in “targeted killing” on a mass scale via drone –apparently supported by key alles — few outside the Moslem world are going to be upset by occassional Mossad murders.
Such are the depths to which we have sunk!
Such a travesty meaning a head of mossad that refused his termination.
it’s funny at points and pathetic at others, how someone who spent few months (24 is my guess and i am being generous) in Israel, out of the 55 he lives in the US, claims to be an expert / analyst and understand what’s going on in Israel.
the sad thing, and i have been reading you blog for about 4 month (which makes it some time, actually 2 seconds fall under the definition of some time), is that there are people that actually take what you say as gospel.
You’re sounding quite out of sorts & rather testy today. What happened? Was it anything I said? Or do you just not like the whole idea of me? Don’t bother answering. It was just a rhetorical question…
I spend a lot more time studying, thinking about & writing about Israel than you spend doing virtually anything, but especially studying my country. So yes, I know quite a bit about Israel. Not everything by any means. But I know what I write about, & what I don’t know I try to learn. I wish I could say the same for you.