Noam Erez, former deputy chief of Mossad, and killer of Imad Mugniyeh
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I’ve reported many scores of stories here under Israeli military censorship or judicial gag orders. This is one of the more important ones. The New Yorker reported that the 2008 assassination of Hezbollah’s then-number two leader, Imad Mugniyeh, was a joint operation of the CIA and Israel’s Mossad. It was intended to avenge his alleged role in the bombings of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut in 1982, and the bombings of the Israeli embassy and Jewish community center in Buenos Aires. Both intelligence agencies claimed he played instrumental roles in each of those attacks (though there are conflicting views about this).
According to Yossi Melman’s new book, Imperfect Spies (only in Hebrew), the NSA offered communications intercepts which pinpointed Mugniyeh’s location and allowed him to be tracked. In return, the U.S. set down conditions under which it would permit the murder. Among them, that the bombing would not injure or kill bystanders and that it could not be done during school hours.
The Mossad responded by tasking its bombmaker with creating an explosive which would kill its target but cause no collateral damage. In Melman’s manuscript, he named the Mossad chief of operations tasked with this responsibility.
But all such books must be reviewed by the military censor. In this case, the censor characteristically removed the Mossadnik’s full name and substituted his first initial, “N.” However, censorship is often inept, as Melman will readily tell you. In this case, the censor didn’t catch the man’s full name listed in the book index, nor did it catch a similar reference to his first initial on page 423 of the book. Thus, anyone who buys this book will find the Mossad officer fully exposed. That’s what is called in Hebrew/Arabic, a fashla!
The bombmaker is Noam Erez. At the time of the Mugniyeh murder, he was the spy agency’s deputy to Tamir Pardo. Here is an exceedingly cleaned-up version of his bio:
Erez served as the Senior Executive in the Israeli Intelligence, in charge of the entire operational spectrum of the organization. Mr. Erez started his 30-year career in the Israeli Intelligence in a special operations division where he quickly rose in ranks, finally assuming the position of commander of the division. Once completing a successful term as commander, Mr. Erez went on the lead the technological operations division, where he planned and executed a growth strategy for the cyber capabilities, bringing it to a global leadership position. Following that role, Mr. Erez served as the Chief of Staff, where he oversaw the long-term budget planning, HR, and resource planning of the entire organization.
He was Pardo’s chosen successor. But Bibi (and even more importantly, Sara, who has veto power over all major government decisions) preferred the handsome, charming Yossi Cohen, who eventually got the top job. Erez left the Mossad and, as most former senior intelligence officials do, joined his ex-boss (English version) in a cyber-security startup, XM Cyber, where he is the CEO.
Fortunately, he doesn’t appear to be making bombs any longer. But he may not want to plan any business trips to Beirut, Syria or Iran any time soon.
Military Censor Suppresses Identity of New Elite Commando Unit Leader
Tonight, we also violate a second case of military censorship. The IDF recently named the new commander of its Shaldag air commando unit. For the first time, it named a Druze officer to the post. The identities of senior IDF officers are generally suppressed by the military censor (except the most senior members of the general staff). The intent is both to protect them from being attacked during and after military service; and to shield them from prosecution by the International Criminal Court.
I believe Israel’s military has committed war crimes and should be subject to the ICC. That’s only one of the reasons I expose these individuals. The new Shaldag commander is Lt. Col. Ayoub Kayouf.
Druze historically have been the most receptive to Israeli Jews among Israel’s Arab minority. During the Nakba, the Druze cooperated with Jews and they were not expelled from their homes and village as many other Palestinians were. Many of the men serve in the army, though traditionally they served in segregated units reserved for “minorities,” such as reconnaissance. Their command of Palestinian Arabic is also an asset in certain commando assignments.
During deliberations over Israel’s racist Nation State law, Druze in particular felt betrayed because not only did the legislation enshrine Jews as superior, it relegated the Druze to second-class citizenship by law. Given the increasing racism of Israel’s Jewish majority, a growing number of young Druze are refusing to serve in the military. This promotion may be the army’s way of trying to make it up to the Druze community.
One of the IDF’s most embarrassing recent operations involved a Sayeret Matkal unit infiltrating into Gaza to plant surveillance gear in the enclave. When the unit, disguised as Gazans was intercepted and exposed, a gunfight erupted, 20 Hamas Militants were killed and the Israeli unit had to be evacuated on an emergency basis by helicopter.
However, they left behind their commander, Lt. Col. Mahmoud Kheireddine, who was the overall deputy commander of Israel’s most elite commando unit, Sayeret Matkal. He was killed in crossfire by his own fellow soldiers. He too was Druze. The military censor refused to permit publication of his name, which I did in my blog.
It is yet another sad confirmation of Israeli racism that while Kheireddine was alive he applied unsuccessfully for a permit to build a home for his family. Israel’s apartheid regime routinely refuses such requests for its non-Jewish citizens.
Druze don’t consider themselves Muslim btw, nor do most of them identify with Palestinian Nationalism. But other than that, great reporting!
@ pea: The Druze religion is an offshoot of Ismailia Shiite Islam. Though it has developed and syncretized a number of other major religions. Though you are right that Druze are not adherents of Islam in the current iteration of their religious beliefs.
As for their relation to Palestinian nationalism; I, in fact, said the opposite of what you claim I said. I said that the Druze had the closest relations with Israeli Zionism. I never said they were adherents of Palestinian nationalism. That being said, Israel’s constant insults to the Druze are driving the younger generation farther from the beliefs of the older generation. They are much closer to the Palestinians and coming ever closer with every Israeli Jewish act of betrayal of their interests.
Interesting, I’d always considered Druze to be essentially mercenaries along the lines of Kataeb phalange and Falasha
@ Steve Brown: I think that’s an overhasty judgment. First, they were faced with a hard choice in ’48: show loyalty to the Jews and remain in their homeland; or rebel and face expulsion as other Palestinians did. They chose loyalty and remaining. That’ s also why they tended to enlist in the army and serve, while most Palestinians didn’t.
With younger Druze that is changing. They are far more influenced by prevailing Palestinian attitudes than some of their elders.
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Richard Silverstein says:
“I believe Israel’s military has committed war crimes and should be subject to the ICC.”
ICC differs.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/icc-permanently-closes-flotilla-war-crimes-case-642521
@MA WUnsch: You clearly have no idea how the ICC works. The likely reason it closed the Mavi Marmara case is that there is an even “richer” set of war crimes it is now investigating in the period from 2014 to the present including violations of international law regarding Occupation, mass murder during the March of Return, and the bloodbath of Operation Protective Edge. These crimes involve far more death and far more varied violations of international law than Mavi Marmara.
There is no reason to have 2 separate investigations of the same country for similar actions.
Relying on Jerusalem Post as a source and accurate reflection of reality or anything else is a typical hasbara blunder.
@ Pea
Don’t you dare to speak for the Druze and generalize about them. Many Druze Indeed self-identify as Muslims, others don’t.
Concerning Druze and Palestinian nationalism, maybe you should familiarize yourself with the topic instead of projecting. Yeah, I know, Israelis always came across some very pro-Zionist Druze in the army….The great Palestinian poet Samih al-Qasim was Druze from the Galilea, so are the young musician Omar Saad and his brothers who refused to serve in the Israeli army. And what about the singer Maher Halabi (singing an Iraqi classic in the film Ajami) …
+972 mag published a serie of 4 short videos some years ago, very instructive for people who really want to know about the diversity in the Druze community. Not to speak about the Druze from the Israeli-occupied Syian Golan ….
Deir Yassin
Everybody knows there is enmity between the Druze and the Muslims. In short the Druze are mercenaries and go where it is good for them.
@ avram stern: I don’t think that’s necessarily the case with the younger generation. The older generation seems to have engaged in going-along-to-get-along over the decades.
Deir Yassin: Don’t I dare? Or what? Besides. when did I ever say I speak for the Druze? I’m just relating back some of what I’ve been told. As to the substance of your post, you’re painting a very one sided picture of a pretty complex and nuanced issue. Everything you say is true but you also ignore a history of oppression and animosity between the Druze and Muslims. It’s not all bad of course but it’s also not all peaches and cream. IMHO.
@ pea: Please don’t “relate back what you’ve been told.” That’s little better than hearsay since we don’t know what you’ve been told and by whom. If you research your claims and really know what you’re talking about based on credible sources that’s one thing. But you’ve offered nothing to support that.
@ Pea
Being an Israeli Jew, and a convinced Zionist, you have no credibility speaking about what the Druze feel and do not feel.
The discussion has been here before, and there are always Israelis who claim to know what the Druze feel … see the documentaries I mentionned.
Some years back I wanted to know what Druze feel themselves and found a discussion group in Arabic where Druze and non-Druze from all over Bilad ash-Shâm discussed religion, most Druze in fact claimed to be Muslims, whereas most non-Druze seemed astonished to read that. One said that they pronounced the shahada during funeral which is sufficient to be a Muslim.
And on a sidenote: al-Azhar consider Druze as Muslims so what you “have been told” ….
@ Avram Stern
You and your ilk are not “everybody”…:
What I have been told by Druze.And it’s not black and white like I said. Some Muslims consider the Druze Muslims, while others consider them apostates. The quest for knowledge is exacerbated by the fact that only 25% of Druze are initiates and they are prohibited from discussing the religion with non-initiates.
@ pea: You’ve moved worlds away from your original claim that Druze were not Muslim at all, which you used to disparage what I wrote in my post. Next time, you might want to start out a little less definitively and with a bit more nuance before attacking me.
@ Pea
In your first comment you wrote “Druze don’t consider themselves Muslims” and now you claim that “some Muslims consider the Druzr Muslims while others consider them apostates”.
You have to decide whether you speak about how Druze self-identify or about how others view them. We all know that Druze are secretive about their religion that’s why it’s even more hilarious that so many Israeli Jews claim to ‘know’ how the Druze feel. Apart from the fact that Druze in the State of Israel are only a minority of Druze in the Middle East.