Former Mossad Intelligence Agency Director Ephraim Halevy last week addressed a chareidi audience, addressing a number of matters of interest.

Regarding reports of existential threats facing Israel today, he feels “they cannot destroy Israel. We have an array of offensive and defensive weapons at our disposal”. He added that this includes responding to any and all kinds of attacks.

“If the Iranians attack us I think they can bring serious damage upon us, even very serious damage, but I do not envy them regarding what the response will be. I do not think it is wise to tell one’s enemy that you have an ability to wipe me out. This tells him that I say you can do it, wipe me out. I am giving him information, which in this case is incorrect, but it is contrary to our interests. In addition, you encourage your enemy to work towards achieving this goal”.

Halevy explained the war against Iran has been going on clandestinely for over 20 years in various areas of the world. “Interestingly, in most cases, both sides did not want publicity”. Today however things have changed. “They went to the United Nations with a long list, claiming we eliminated scientists and the like”.

When asked if Israel is behind a number of recent ‘incidents in Iran’, Halevy stated “I do not know if we are behind it, but I can say I am pleased these operations are successful”.

“There are many things that are not publicized,” making reference to the tens of fatalities in the explosion against the Israeli mission in Argentina.

Halevy states that today, the Iranian economy is at an unprecedented low, and their currency is collapsing and Tehran does not have sufficient dollars to cover its existence. “There is a limit as to what they can do despite their threats”. He points out that can negatively impact the world economy by closing the Straits of Hormuz but the main victim will be the Chinese and it is unlikely they will do this to such a country, a major supper of the current regime.

“We are not immune to an attack. Don’t get me wrong. I said we have the capability to endure and respond, but it will be war. I did not say we are immune”.

“There are chareidim in the Mossad, men and women. I personally addressed a number of problems for chareidim. One such example, not a simple one, was addressing a chareidi agent in Southeast Asia, a person engaged in gathering information as we refer to him in our profession… He had to be stationed in a certain area but there was no mikve there. The easiest thing was to simply move him to an area where there was a mikve. He really wanted to remain there. I will not share the solution with you – but I will say the solution was extremely creative. There are many problems regarding Shabbos. You have to meet someone and this can only be done on a Friday night. He arrives on a flight Friday night and leaves on motzei Shabbos and cannot meet any other time. The question arises what is done? Do you work on Shabbos or not?”

“I will give you an apikores response. There were issues that I brought to the IDF chief rabbi but I preferred to minimize the number of questions that I brought to him. In many cases I decided to make these decisions myself along with the intelligence gathering officer”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)