Shabak chief, Nadav Argaman (at microphone) and Mossad chief, Yossi Cohen (in white shirt) at Israeli memorial day ceremony earlier this week
Haaretz reports Israel’s two main intelligence agencies have nearly doubled their budgets in the past twelve years. Both the Mossad and Shabak had budgets of $1.3-billion in 2005. The upcoming budget for 2018 is slated to rise to $2.2-billion. It’s no accident that much of the dramatic rise in budgetary expenditures happened during Bibi Netanyahu’s prime ministership (2009-present). Bibi himself served in the élite Sayeret Matkal commando unit whose missions often involved intelligence components. It’s widely rumored that after he left the IDF he served as a Mossad agent (and perhaps served either the FBI or CIA as well) in the early 1980s before he entered politics.
Ad promoting Mossad’s new cyber-warfare unit
There will be a 10% budget increase from the year to 2017 to 2018 alone. Though the government budget doesn’t distinguish between the budgets of the two agencies, the Shabak’s is bigger, as is its overall workforce. Retiree pensions also additionally amount to $250-million per year.
Compare these figures with the U.S. national intelligence program (excluding military intelligence) budgeted at $53-billion for 2016. The population of this country is about 50 times bigger than that of Israel. If our intelligence spending tracked that of Israel, our comparable budget would be $100-billion. This allows one to see what an outsized, even distorted budgetary item this is in the context of Israel’s government spending. It further reinforces my long-time contention that Israel is a national security state. A country with an army, cyber-warriors, spooks, and secret police, and for which its civilian population is sometimes little more than an afterthought.
The Haaretz figures do not include the budget for other intelligence units of the IDF like AMAN, which is quite substantial.
The majority of the increase in spending is targeted toward launching cyber-security capabilities for Mossad (though I’ve written about new cyber-warfare units launched by both agencies). In hiring to fill these new positions, government intelligence agencies are competing with the generous pay packages candidates earn from high-tech employers.
As with many government agencies which become the hot, new thing (cf. NSA and Department of Homeland Security after 9/11)–money is thrown at a problem, and not always in the most careful fashion. Along with this, as Haaretz notes, there is a great deal of overlap between the two agencies. They are each taking on some tasks the other is already handling, making for redundancy and wastage. Because each functions largely in the shadows no one is reviewing the larger picture to ensure the funds are well-spent and not duplicative.
Silverstein has published Tikun Olam since 2003, It exposes the secrets of the Israeli national security state. He lives in Seattle, but his heart is in the east. He publishes regularly at Middle East Eye, the New Arab, and Jacobin Magazine. His work has also appeared in Al Jazeera English, The Nation, Truthout and other outlets.
Am wondering how much Israel invested in cyberwarfare to get a Republican on top of the “shining” hill as votes were tabulated on 11/9. In the digital age, laying blame elsewhere is part of the profession.
This post is just a small measure of the ground-breaking, incisive analysis to be expected from Richard Silverstein!
In it we learned two important things:
1. the intelligence needs of a small country in the Middle East are directly comparable to the needs of a continental-size country bordering two of the friendliest countries on Earth
2. Richard knows how to read Ha’Aretz and copy their reports
I see a Pulitzer showing up on Richard’s door any day now.
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@ Yoni: try this sort of stupid snark again & you’ll be banned in a heartbeat (since you’re already moderated).
You’ve misconstrued 2 important elements in the intelligence budgets of Israel & the u.s. they aren’t “directly compatible” as you claim. In fact Israel sends DOUBLE per capita. And the u.s. as I just wrote in a comment has 2 friendly neighbors, but 2 large hostile rivals with significant military capacities, and a score of smaller enemies & rivals seeking to do great mischief regarding our own interests. Our security/intelligence needs are even greater than Israel’s yet we spend half what Israel does per capita.
And when I get that Pulitzer I’m gonna pin it on yr ass!!
[comment deleted–off topic. Read the comment rules before commenting here again. Comments must be directly related to the subject of the post. I could care less what you think of the style of what I write in the comment threads. Restrict any future comments directly to the post and its subject.]
“If our intelligence spending tracked that of Israel, our comparable budget would be $100-billion.”
Israel’s main enemy is the regional superpower, Iran, whose proxy army sits on Israel’s border. Proxy Hezbollah has thousands of advanced missiles aimed to strike at any part of tiny Israel.
Does the United States face a similar threat?
@Ilene: Iran is not Israel’s main enemy. Israel is Israel’s main enemy. It’s ill-informed comments like yrs which prove this beyond a shadow if a doubt.
And yes. The U.S.has far more, and more powerful competitors, rivals & enemies than Israel.
meanwhile the retirement payments and disability pensions have seen ZERO increase in the last FIVE years not a penny for the nearly 35% who live on old folk pensions or disabilities. let’s not mention the holocaust survivors who have been suckered by the billions who know how many time. lately there are no fruits and vegetables in the stores
believe it. bibi froze agriculture casnd there is no importation allowed . so zero fresh fruits and veg. ANYWHRE
I get jealleous when I see the documentaries in the opoen markets of Vietnam Cambodia or Thailand
let’s sing the hatikva and die of hunger