Meir Amit
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Meir Amit was the Director of the Mossad from 1963 to 1968. Born in Israel, he fought for the Haganah during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. In the late 1950s Amit studied in the United States, earning a business degree from Columbia Business School. After returning to Israel, Amit entered the Israeli intelligence community, first as a Major General at the head of IDF Intelligence in 1961, and then as Mossad Director in 1963.
As Director, he orchestrated some of the Mossad's greatest successes, including the spy Eli Cohen who penetrated the highest levels of the Syrian government. It was also during his time that the Mossad engineered the defection of a Maronite Iraqi pilot who flew the then new Mig-21 from Iraq to Israel. Amit is particularly known for his success in expanding Israel's human intelligence (HUMINT), especially in the Arab world. During the lead up to the Six Day War in 1967, Amit had a network of informants that permeated the entire Egyptian military, providing key details for Israel's pre-emptive strike on Egyptian air bases and subsequent ground offensive. Amit also built close personal ties with the CIA.
Since his retirement from the Mossad, he has continued to be an active voice in the intelligence community, and done work for the Israeli government. Following the lead of other former generals, Amit joined the Dash party and served in the Knesset. He is currently the chairman of Israel's Center for Special Studies.
In a recent 2006 interview with reporter Aaron Klein, Amit assessed the current problem of Islamic terrorism. He said that he views the conflict as World War III, a widespread attempt to impose Islamic beliefs across the world.[1] He has also called for the assassination of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.[2]
[edit] Notes
- ^ 'We're on the eve of World War III' excerpts of interview
- ^ Klein, Aaron. "Former Mossad chief: Assassinate Ahmadinejad", World Net Daily, February 14, 2007. Retrieved February 14, 2007.
[edit] References
- Oren, Michael B. Six Days of War: June 1967 and the Making if the Modern Middle East. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. ISBN 0-19-515174-7, 145-6 p.
- Thomas Gordon. Gideon's Spies: The Secret History of the Mossad. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1999. ISBN 0-312-25284-6, 58-60 p.
| Preceded by Chaim Herzog |
Director of Aman 1962–1963 |
Succeeded by Aharon Yariv |
| Preceded by Isser Harel |
Director of the Mossad 1963–1968 |
Succeeded by Zvi Zamir |
