Mossad, one of the three major intelligence organizations of Israel, along with Aman (military intelligence) and Shin Bet (internal security).
Formally established in December 1949 as the Institute for Co-ordination, the Mossad was the successor to the intelligence arm of the Haganah (the Jewish military force in Palestine during the British mandate period).
Isser Harel, who had previously served as the head of Shin Bet. Harel was credited with building the Mossad into a highly professional organization capable of conducting operations around the world during his 11-year tenure (1952–63).
On 25th February 1956, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev delivered his secret speech, in a closed session of 20th Party congress of the Communist party of the Soviet Union. Officially called "On the Cult of Personality and its consequences".
Mossad received the copy of the speech and delivered to United States creating embarassment for the Soviets.
In 1960, Mossad discovered that the Nazi leader Adolf Eichmann was in Argentina. A team of five Mossad agents slipped into Argentina and abducted Eichmann on May 11, 1960. He was subsequently smuggled to Israel, where he was tried and executed. Argentina protested what it considered as a violation of its sovereignty.
Iraqi pilot who defected and flew his MiG-21 to Israel in 1966: "Operation Diamond". Redfa's entire family was also successfully smuggled from Iraq to Israel. Previously unknown information about the MiG-21 was subsequently shared with the United States.
Syria: Eli Cohen infiltrated the highest echelons of the Syrian government, was a close friend of the Syrian President, and was considered for the post of Minister of Defense. He gave his handlers a complete plan of the Syrian defenses on the Golan Heights, the Syrian Armed Forces order of battle, and a complete list of the Syrian military's weapons inventory. He also ordered the planting of trees by every Syrian fortified position under the pretext of shading soldiers, but the trees actually served as targeting markers for the Israel Defense Forces. He was discovered by Syrian and Soviet intelligence, tried in secret, and executed publicly in 1965.
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