Research Department (Aman)
Encyclopedia
The Research Department is a unit in the IDF
Directorate of Military Intelligence
(Aman) that serves as the national assessor of intelligence
in the State of Israel.
The Research Department's principal roles involve the analysis of information gathered by Aman's collection units and from the Intelligence Community
at large; and forming tactical, strategic, and operative assessments, as well as reporting on the likelihood of war, and presenting these to military and political decisionmakers, including the Prime Minister
.
The Research Department is the most established, senior research branch in the Intelligence Community, and works closely with the research bodies of Mossad
, Shabak, as well as those of the Airforce
and Naval
intelligence agencies, the regional command's intelligence research branches and other intelligence entities from the IDF, the Security Forces
, and the military industries
and development
bodies. It has an available reserve of human resources it can draw upon from among active-service soldiers.
The Department's activities are not limited to classical military intelligence research (i.e. purely military matters concerning hostile countries), but engages in a state, economic, industrial-developmental, internal security, and political areas which often do not have an immediate, literal military meaning. Israel is the only liberal-democracy in the world where military intelligence
is charged with assessing the intelligence map on a national, military, and state levels, and there have been repeated calls to transfer some of these roles from the Research Department to a civilian body, such as the National Security Council
, as is the case in the United States
. The Department is currently led by Brigadier-General Yossi Beyditz.
and regional history
. Above all others, the failure to warn that the Yom Kippur War
was imminent, remains the Research Department's greatest blunder. The Agranat Commission
, which investigated the failures of the war, very severely criticized Research in particular and the Intelligence Community, in general. A host of high-ranking intelligence officers were dismissed, most notably Aman Director, Aluf
Eli Zeira
, and head of Research, Brigadier-General Aryeh Shalev.
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
Directorate of Military Intelligence
Aman (IDF)
The Directorate of Military Intelligence is Israel's central, overarching military intelligence, of the Israel Defense Forces. Aman was created in 1950, when the Intelligence Department was spun off from the IDF's General Staff ; the Intelligence Department itself was composed largely of former...
(Aman) that serves as the national assessor of intelligence
Intelligence (information gathering)
Intelligence assessment is the development of forecasts of behaviour or recommended courses of action to the leadership of an organization, based on a wide range of available information sources both overt and covert. Assessments are developed in response to requirements declared by the leadership...
in the State of Israel.
The Research Department's principal roles involve the analysis of information gathered by Aman's collection units and from the Intelligence Community
Israeli Intelligence Community
The Israeli Intelligence Community is the designation given to the complex of organizations responsible for intelligence collection, dissemination, and research for the State of Israel...
at large; and forming tactical, strategic, and operative assessments, as well as reporting on the likelihood of war, and presenting these to military and political decisionmakers, including the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Israel
The Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and the most powerful political figure in Israel . The prime minister is the country's chief executive. The official residence of the prime minister, Beit Rosh Hamemshala is in Jerusalem...
.
The Research Department is the most established, senior research branch in the Intelligence Community, and works closely with the research bodies of Mossad
Mossad
The Mossad , short for HaMossad leModi'in uleTafkidim Meyuchadim , is the national intelligence agency of Israel....
, Shabak, as well as those of the Airforce
Air Intelligence Directorate
The Israeli Air Intelligence Group is a unit of the Israel Defense Forces Air Force. Like other IDF intelligence gathering bodies, it is professionally subordinate to the IDF's Intelligence Directorate....
and Naval
Naval Intelligence Department
The Israeli Naval Intelligence Department is a staff unit in the Israeli navy headquarters. Like other IDF intelligence bodies, it is professionally subordinate to the Intelligence Directorate....
intelligence agencies, the regional command's intelligence research branches and other intelligence entities from the IDF, the Security Forces
Israeli Security Forces
Security forces in Israel include a variety of organizations, including law enforcement, military, paramilitary, governmental, and intelligence agencies.-Military:...
, and the military industries
Israel Military Industries
Israel Weapons Industries , formerly the "Magen" division of the Israel Military Industries Ltd. is an Israeli firearms manufacturer. In 2005, the Small Arms Division of IMI was privatized....
and development
Administration for the Development of Weapons and the Technological Industry
The Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure , abbreviated Maf'at , is a joint administrative body of the Israeli Ministry of Defense and Israel Defense Forces that coordinates between the Ministry of Defense, the IDF, the military industries, Israel Military...
bodies. It has an available reserve of human resources it can draw upon from among active-service soldiers.
The Department's activities are not limited to classical military intelligence research (i.e. purely military matters concerning hostile countries), but engages in a state, economic, industrial-developmental, internal security, and political areas which often do not have an immediate, literal military meaning. Israel is the only liberal-democracy in the world where military intelligence
Military intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
is charged with assessing the intelligence map on a national, military, and state levels, and there have been repeated calls to transfer some of these roles from the Research Department to a civilian body, such as the National Security Council
Israeli National Security Council
The Israeli National Security Council is Israel's central body for coordination, integration, analysis and monitoring in the field of national security and is the staff forum on national security for the Israeli Prime Minister and Government. However, national security decisions typically made by...
, as is the case in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Department is currently led by Brigadier-General Yossi Beyditz.
History
Although on the operative and tactical level, the Research Department has often proven quite successful, on the strategic and political front it has committed crucial failures which had a decisive impact on the course of IsraeliHistory of Israel
The State of Israel declared independence on May 14, 1948 after almost two millennia of Jewish dispersal and persecution around the Mediterranean. From the late 19th century the Zionist movement worked towards the goal of recreating a homeland for the Jewish people...
and regional history
History of the Middle East
This article is a general overview of the history of the Middle East. For more detailed information, see articles on the histories of individual countries and regions...
. Above all others, the failure to warn that the Yom Kippur War
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
was imminent, remains the Research Department's greatest blunder. The Agranat Commission
Agranat Commission
The Agranat Commission was a National Commision of Inquiry set up to investigate failings in the Israel Defense Forces in the prelude to the Yom Kippur War, when Israel was found unprepared for the Egyptian attack against the Bar Lev Line and a simultaneous attack by Syria in the Golan — the first...
, which investigated the failures of the war, very severely criticized Research in particular and the Intelligence Community, in general. A host of high-ranking intelligence officers were dismissed, most notably Aman Director, Aluf
Aluf
Aluf is the term used for General and Admiral in the Israel Defense Forces . In addition to the Aluf rank itself, there are four other ranks which are derivatives of the word...
Eli Zeira
Eli Zeira
Eli Zeira is a former Major General in the Israel Defense Forces. He was director of Aman, Israel's military intelligence, during the 1973 Yom Kippur War...
, and head of Research, Brigadier-General Aryeh Shalev.
Further reading
- Doron Geler, "Israeli Intelligence and the Yom Kippur War of 1973", Jewish Virtual LibraryJewish Virtual LibraryJewish Virtual Library is an online encyclopedia published by the American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise . Established in 1993, it is a comprehensive website covering Israel, the Jewish people, and Jewish culture.-History:...
.