Carmi Gillon
Encyclopedia
Carmi Gillon is an Israeli politician, and a former Israel
i ambassador
to Denmark
and head of Shabak, the Internal General Security Service of Israel.
After the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin
, he attracted criticism for failing to provide adequate security. Carmi Gillon is currently the mayor of the Jerusalem suburb Mevasseret Zion and vice-president of external relations for the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Gillon was born in Jerusalem into a well known family of lawyers who resided in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Rehavia
. His grandfather, Gad Frumkin, was the only Jewish judge to serve at the Supreme Court of Palestine under the British Mandate and was also a member of the Hebrew University's Board of Governors from the 1930s until his death. His father, Colin Gillon, was a state attorney, and his mother Saada Gillon (née Frumkin) served as Deputy Attorney General.
He began his army service in the armored corps and was later transferred to the artillery corps. He was released from the army in 1971.
He graduated from the National Defense College. He has a B.A. in political science from the Hebrew University where he was recruited into the Israeli Security Agency and an M.A. in public policy from the University of Haifa
. He is also a graduate of the advanced management program at the Harvard Business School
, and completed management training at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.
1982 – served as head of the Jewish Department in the ISA
1987 - left his position in order to begin studies in the National Security College. He served in a number of senior positions during study for an MA in political science and public administration.
1989 - served as head of the Training Division
1990 - served as head of the Northern Command in the ISA, a position in which he was responsible for ISA activity in Lebanon.
1993 - appointed head of the Administrative Division, and was responsible for HR, finances and logistics.
1994 -appointed proxy ISA Director during the four months of Yaakov Peri’s academic leave.
Gillon headed Shabak, Israel's General Security Service, from 1994 to 1996. Gillon joined Shabak in 1988, and became overall head of the service from March 1995 to February 1996. B'Tselem
, Human Rights Watch
, and other human rights organizations have criticized his oversight. "During his tenure, and until the Israel High Court of Justice ruled against such methods in 1999, GSS interrogators were officially sanctioned to use 'moderate physical pressure'
on detainees (the vast majority of them Palestinians)," according to Amnesty International
. From October 1994, when a suicide bomb killed 23 people, they were allowed to use "increased physical pressure". Secret government guidelines set down what "moderate physical pressure" and "increased physical pressure" allowed; according to court testimonies of GSS members themselves, this included subjecting detainees to sleep deprivation, prolonged shackling in painful positions, hooding with filthy sacks, being forced to squat like a frog (gambaz) and violent shaking (tiltul). During Carmi Gillon's period of service with the GSS such methods of interrogation were used against several hundred Palestinian detainees every year, many of whom were later released without charge.
He resigned from command of Shin Bet in the aftermath of the assassination of Prime Minister Rabin
. The Shamgar Commission
was critical of the Shin Bet under his tenure.
After leaving the service, Gillon served as general manager of the Avner Insurance Company (1997–2000) and then as director-general of the Peres Center for Peace
(2000–2001).
. Danish Justice Minister Frank Jensen
initially said that Gillon could be could be arrested and prosecuted under the terms of the Convention after he admitted using "moderate physical pressure" on Palestinian detainees, but later backed down, acknowledging that Gillon was protected by diplomatic immunity
. Amnesty International
urged Denmark to invesigate him for torture and if there was enough evidence for a prosecution, to detain him and either try him or extradite him to a state that was willing to try him for torture. Although Denmark itself had criticized Israel over claims of torture, it acknowledged Gillon's diplomatic immunity and refused.
Gillon defended the use of torture as a means of "self-defense against terrorism." He told Danish media that Israel might have to re-introduce "moderate physical pressure" when interrogating suspected Palestinian terrorists. "We banned this form of interrogation in Israel in 1999 because of the peace process. Unfortunately, it looks like we may have to start using it again," Gillon said. One member of parliament, Centre Democrat leader Peter Duetoft, called opposition to Gillon's appointment "hypocritical" because Yasser Arafat
, "the biggest terrorist", had recently visited Denmark without there having been similar objections.
.
In addition to his official roles, Gillon has also been a member of a number of boards of directors, including the Tahal Group, Danker Investment and the Arab Israel Bank.
Over the years, Gillon has written several books and a range of articles on the subjects of foreign affairs and security. He has also been an active current affairs commentator in the electronic media in Israel
and overseas.
Gillon is married with three children.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and head of Shabak, the Internal General Security Service of Israel.
After the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin
Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin
The assassination of Yitzhak Rabin took place on November 4, 1995 at 21:30, at the end of a rally in support of the Oslo Accords at the Kings of Israel Square in Tel Aviv...
, he attracted criticism for failing to provide adequate security. Carmi Gillon is currently the mayor of the Jerusalem suburb Mevasseret Zion and vice-president of external relations for the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Gillon was born in Jerusalem into a well known family of lawyers who resided in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Rehavia
Rehavia
Rehavia is an upscale Jerusalem neighborhood located between the city center and Talbiya.-History:Rehavia was established on a large plot of land purchased in 1921 from the Greek Orthodox Church by the Palestine Land Development Company . The area was known at the time as Ginzaria, a native...
. His grandfather, Gad Frumkin, was the only Jewish judge to serve at the Supreme Court of Palestine under the British Mandate and was also a member of the Hebrew University's Board of Governors from the 1930s until his death. His father, Colin Gillon, was a state attorney, and his mother Saada Gillon (née Frumkin) served as Deputy Attorney General.
He began his army service in the armored corps and was later transferred to the artillery corps. He was released from the army in 1971.
He graduated from the National Defense College. He has a B.A. in political science from the Hebrew University where he was recruited into the Israeli Security Agency and an M.A. in public policy from the University of Haifa
University of Haifa
The University of Haifa is a university in Haifa, Israel.The University of Haifa was founded in 1963 by Haifa mayor Abba Hushi, to operate under the academic auspices of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem....
. He is also a graduate of the advanced management program at the Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
, and completed management training at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.
Service in Shabak
1972 - recruited to the ISA and worked as a bodyguard in the field as well as in senior headquarter positions.1982 – served as head of the Jewish Department in the ISA
1987 - left his position in order to begin studies in the National Security College. He served in a number of senior positions during study for an MA in political science and public administration.
1989 - served as head of the Training Division
1990 - served as head of the Northern Command in the ISA, a position in which he was responsible for ISA activity in Lebanon.
1993 - appointed head of the Administrative Division, and was responsible for HR, finances and logistics.
1994 -appointed proxy ISA Director during the four months of Yaakov Peri’s academic leave.
Gillon headed Shabak, Israel's General Security Service, from 1994 to 1996. Gillon joined Shabak in 1988, and became overall head of the service from March 1995 to February 1996. B'Tselem
B'Tselem
B'Tselem is an Israeli non-governmental organization . It calls itself "The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories"...
, Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
, and other human rights organizations have criticized his oversight. "During his tenure, and until the Israel High Court of Justice ruled against such methods in 1999, GSS interrogators were officially sanctioned to use 'moderate physical pressure'
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...
on detainees (the vast majority of them Palestinians)," according to Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
. From October 1994, when a suicide bomb killed 23 people, they were allowed to use "increased physical pressure". Secret government guidelines set down what "moderate physical pressure" and "increased physical pressure" allowed; according to court testimonies of GSS members themselves, this included subjecting detainees to sleep deprivation, prolonged shackling in painful positions, hooding with filthy sacks, being forced to squat like a frog (gambaz) and violent shaking (tiltul). During Carmi Gillon's period of service with the GSS such methods of interrogation were used against several hundred Palestinian detainees every year, many of whom were later released without charge.
He resigned from command of Shin Bet in the aftermath of the assassination of Prime Minister Rabin
Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin
The assassination of Yitzhak Rabin took place on November 4, 1995 at 21:30, at the end of a rally in support of the Oslo Accords at the Kings of Israel Square in Tel Aviv...
. The Shamgar Commission
Shamgar Commission
The Shamgar commission was the official Commission of Inquiry set up to investigate the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in late 1995...
was critical of the Shin Bet under his tenure.
After leaving the service, Gillon served as general manager of the Avner Insurance Company (1997–2000) and then as director-general of the Peres Center for Peace
Peres Center for Peace
The Peres Center for Peace located in Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Israel, is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan, non-governmental organization founded in 1996 by Nobel Peace Laureate and current President of Israel Shimon Peres, with the aim of furthering his vision in which people of the Middle East...
(2000–2001).
Ambassador to Denmark
Between 2001 and 2003, he served as the Israeli ambassador to Denmark. When he was nominated for the position in 2001, Human Rights Watch called for the Danish government to reject his appointment and for Israel to withdraw his nomination, while Amnesty International asked the Danes to detain him under the UN Convention against TortureUnited Nations Convention Against Torture
The United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment is an international human rights instrument, under the review of the United Nations, that aims to prevent torture around the world....
. Danish Justice Minister Frank Jensen
Frank Jensen
Frank Jensen is a Danish politician, member of the Danish Social Democrats, and has been Lord Mayor of Copenhagen since 1 January 2010...
initially said that Gillon could be could be arrested and prosecuted under the terms of the Convention after he admitted using "moderate physical pressure" on Palestinian detainees, but later backed down, acknowledging that Gillon was protected by diplomatic immunity
Diplomatic immunity
Diplomatic immunity is a form of legal immunity and a policy held between governments that ensures that diplomats are given safe passage and are considered not susceptible to lawsuit or prosecution under the host country's laws...
. Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
urged Denmark to invesigate him for torture and if there was enough evidence for a prosecution, to detain him and either try him or extradite him to a state that was willing to try him for torture. Although Denmark itself had criticized Israel over claims of torture, it acknowledged Gillon's diplomatic immunity and refused.
Gillon defended the use of torture as a means of "self-defense against terrorism." He told Danish media that Israel might have to re-introduce "moderate physical pressure" when interrogating suspected Palestinian terrorists. "We banned this form of interrogation in Israel in 1999 because of the peace process. Unfortunately, it looks like we may have to start using it again," Gillon said. One member of parliament, Centre Democrat leader Peter Duetoft, called opposition to Gillon's appointment "hypocritical" because Yasser Arafat
Yasser Arafat
Mohammed Yasser Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini , popularly known as Yasser Arafat or by his kunya Abu Ammar , was a Palestinian leader and a Laureate of the Nobel Prize. He was Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization , President of the Palestinian National Authority...
, "the biggest terrorist", had recently visited Denmark without there having been similar objections.
Politics and other activities
After his ambassadorship to Denmark, he was elected as head of the Mevasseret Zion local council. Also he is a vice-president for external relations for the Hebrew University of JerusalemHebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
.
In addition to his official roles, Gillon has also been a member of a number of boards of directors, including the Tahal Group, Danker Investment and the Arab Israel Bank.
Over the years, Gillon has written several books and a range of articles on the subjects of foreign affairs and security. He has also been an active current affairs commentator in the electronic media in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and overseas.
Gillon is married with three children.