Avraham Shalom
Encyclopedia
Avraham Shalom Ben-Dor was head of GSS (Shin Bet) from 1981-1986. He resigned after being accused of ordering the killing of two Palestinian prisoners and organising the subsequent cover-up.
" and later fought in the battle of Mishmar HaEmek
amongst others
He joined the GSS in 1950, rising to the top position of Director by 1980.
on 12 April 1984, it was reported that all four hijackers had been killed. However, following publication of pictures taken at the scene it emerged that two surviving hijackers were questioned by Brigadier General Yitzhak Mordechai
and then handed over to GSS agents who executed the prisoners - allegedly on the orders of Shalom.
During the subsequent investigation Shalom led an cover-up in the GSS which implicated Mordechai as responsible for the killings. In 1985 General Mordechai was put on trial but his acquittal led to questions being asked about Shalom's role.
The cover-up caused internal disorder and dysfunction within the GSS, but only became public when in May 1986 Attorney-General Yitzhak Zamir
resigned after attempting to pursue a course of holding Shalom to account for falsifying evidence.
President Chaim Herzog
controversially issued pardons to Shalom and four other GSS officers. In July 1986 during a high court appeal against the pardons it was revealed in a letter of application for pardon that Shalom claimed that all his actions were "authorised and approved". This placed responsibility on his immediate superior, the Prime Minister at the time - Yitzhak Shamir
.
The public disquiet and pressure in legal circles on the case was one of the reasons behind the establishment of the Landau Commission
into GSS "Methods of Investigation".
Early career
In 1946 he joined the PalmachPalmach
The Palmach was the elite fighting force of the Haganah, the underground army of the Yishuv during the period of the British Mandate of Palestine. The Palmach was established on May 15, 1941...
" and later fought in the battle of Mishmar HaEmek
Battle of Mishmar HaEmek
The Battle of Mishmar HaEmek was a ten-day battle fought from 4 to 15 April 1948 between the Arab Liberation Army commanded by Fawzi al-Qawuqji and the Haganah commanded by Yitzhak Sadeh...
amongst others
He joined the GSS in 1950, rising to the top position of Director by 1980.
Kav 300 affair
After the hijacking of a bus from Tel AvivTel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
on 12 April 1984, it was reported that all four hijackers had been killed. However, following publication of pictures taken at the scene it emerged that two surviving hijackers were questioned by Brigadier General Yitzhak Mordechai
Yitzhak Mordechai
Yitzhak Mordechai is an Israeli former general and politician. He served as a member of the Knesset between 1996 and 2001, and as Minister of Defense and Minister of Transport. He retired from political life after being indicted for sexual assaults during his military service and later...
and then handed over to GSS agents who executed the prisoners - allegedly on the orders of Shalom.
During the subsequent investigation Shalom led an cover-up in the GSS which implicated Mordechai as responsible for the killings. In 1985 General Mordechai was put on trial but his acquittal led to questions being asked about Shalom's role.
The cover-up caused internal disorder and dysfunction within the GSS, but only became public when in May 1986 Attorney-General Yitzhak Zamir
Yitzhak Zamir
Yitzhak Zamir is a professor of public law and Dean of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Faculty of Law, a former Attorney General of Israel, first Dean of the University of Haifa's Law Faculty, and Judge in the Israeli Supreme Court.-Biography:Zamir was born in Warsaw in Poland on April 15,...
resigned after attempting to pursue a course of holding Shalom to account for falsifying evidence.
President Chaim Herzog
Chaim Herzog
Chaim Herzog served as the sixth President of Israel , following a distinguished career in both the British Army and the Israel Defense Forces .-Early life:...
controversially issued pardons to Shalom and four other GSS officers. In July 1986 during a high court appeal against the pardons it was revealed in a letter of application for pardon that Shalom claimed that all his actions were "authorised and approved". This placed responsibility on his immediate superior, the Prime Minister at the time - Yitzhak Shamir
Yitzhak Shamir
' is a former Israeli politician, the seventh Prime Minister of Israel, in 1983–84 and 1986–92.-Biography:Icchak Jeziernicky was born in Ruzhany , Russian Empire . He studied at a Hebrew High School in Białystok, Poland. As a youth he joined Betar, the Revisionist Zionist youth movement...
.
The public disquiet and pressure in legal circles on the case was one of the reasons behind the establishment of the Landau Commission
Landau Commission
The Landau Commission was a three-man Commission set up by the Israeli Government in 1987 following a long-running scandal over the deaths of two Palestinian prisoners in custody and the wrongful conviction of a Circassian IDF officer...
into GSS "Methods of Investigation".