Yolande Harmer
Encyclopedia
Yolande Harmer (Hebrew name Yolande Har-Mor) maiden name ) was an Israel
i intelligence officer who operated in Egypt
in 1948. She has been described as "Israel's Mata Hari
".
, Egypt, to a Turkish
-Jewish mother. She was married three times, the first at the age of 17. Her third husband, a wealthy South-African businessman, was killed in a plane crash. She had a son with him, Gilbert de Botton
.
, secretary of the Jewish Agency political department, when he visited Egypt in 1945 or 1946. They met at a cocktail party. At the time Harmer was working as a journalist and accepted in the highest circles of Egypt society.
She was thus able to gather intelligence in King Farouk's
court in Cairo
. She made many other important contacts including senior editors of Al-Ahram
, the most widely circulating Egypt
ian daily newspaper, Tak ed-Din as-Sulh, the chief assistant of Abdul Rahman Hassan Azzam
, and Mahmoud Mahlouf, son of the Grand Mufti
of Cairo.
When the Swedish ambassador
to Egypt, Widar Bagge, fell in love with her, she swayed him to sympathize with the Zionist
struggle for self-determination and the freedom of the Jewish people. Eli Peleg, a Yishuv
emissary in Cairo, reported Harmer's success with Bagge: "Several months ago he was indifferent to our cause, but today he is an enthusiastic Zionist."
Harmer provided the Yishuv with important strategic information, including the texts of resolutions adopted by the Arab League
in 1947 and 1948 declaring that they "will sacrifice all the political and economic interest of the Arab world in order to save Arab Palestine." She also uncovered Arab military plans for the end of the British Mandate for Palestine.By penetrating the US Embassy, she was able to supply information on the number of Tunisia
n and Algeria
n troops fighting the Arabs in Palestine.
However, delivering the information she gathered was problematic: She had a radio transmitter, but no-one to operate it for her. She sent the information using mail services via Europe or the United States, but precious time was often lost. During her work in Egypt she often risked not only her own life, but the life of her son.
In July 1948, Harmer was arrested. In August, after falling ill in jail, she was released and deport
ed. She went to Paris where she worked for the Middle East Department of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, becoming a key figure in that department by 1949. During her work in Paris she maintained her Egyptian contacts, continuing to provide Israel with valuable information.In 1950 she worked in Madrid.
Harmer died in 1959.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i intelligence officer who operated in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
in 1948. She has been described as "Israel's Mata Hari
Mata Hari
Mata Hari was the stage name of Margaretha Geertruida "M'greet" Zelle , a Dutch exotic dancer, courtesan, and accused spy who was executed by firing squad in France under charges of espionage for Germany during World War I.-Early life:Margaretha Geertruida Zelle was born in Leeuwarden, Friesland,...
".
Biography
Yolande Gabai (later Harmer and Har-Mor) was born in AlexandriaAlexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, Egypt, to a Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
-Jewish mother. She was married three times, the first at the age of 17. Her third husband, a wealthy South-African businessman, was killed in a plane crash. She had a son with him, Gilbert de Botton
Gilbert de Botton
Gilbert de Botton was a financial pioneer in the 20th century, who is considered the inventor of the open architecture model of asset management....
.
Espionage career
Harmer was recruited by Moshe SharettMoshe Sharett
Moshe Sharett on 15 October 1894, died 7 July 1965) was the second Prime Minister of Israel , serving for a little under two years between David Ben-Gurion's two terms.-Early life:...
, secretary of the Jewish Agency political department, when he visited Egypt in 1945 or 1946. They met at a cocktail party. At the time Harmer was working as a journalist and accepted in the highest circles of Egypt society.
She was thus able to gather intelligence in King Farouk's
Farouk of Egypt
Farouk I of Egypt , was the tenth ruler from the Muhammad Ali Dynasty and the penultimate King of Egypt and Sudan, succeeding his father, Fuad I, in 1936....
court in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
. She made many other important contacts including senior editors of Al-Ahram
Al-Ahram
Al-Ahram , founded in 1875, is the most widely circulating Egyptian daily newspaper, and the second oldest after al-Waqa'i`al-Masriya . It is majority owned by the Egyptian government....
, the most widely circulating Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian daily newspaper, Tak ed-Din as-Sulh, the chief assistant of Abdul Rahman Hassan Azzam
Abdul Rahman Hassan Azzam
Abdul Rahman Hassan Azzam was an Egyptian diplomat, with family origins in Egypt. He served as the first secretary-general of the Arab League between 1945 and 1952.Azzam also had a long career as an ambassador and parliamentarian...
, and Mahmoud Mahlouf, son of the Grand Mufti
Grand Mufti
The title of Grand Mufti refers to the highest official of religious law in a Sunni or Ibadi Muslim country. The Grand Mufti issues legal opinions and edicts, fatwā, on interpretations of Islamic law for private clients or to assist judges in deciding cases...
of Cairo.
When the Swedish 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 Egypt, Widar Bagge, fell in love with her, she swayed him to sympathize with the Zionist
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
struggle for self-determination and the freedom of the Jewish people. Eli Peleg, a Yishuv
Yishuv
The Yishuv or Ha-Yishuv is the term referring to the body of Jewish residents in Palestine before the establishment of the State of Israel...
emissary in Cairo, reported Harmer's success with Bagge: "Several months ago he was indifferent to our cause, but today he is an enthusiastic Zionist."
Harmer provided the Yishuv with important strategic information, including the texts of resolutions adopted by the Arab League
Arab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
in 1947 and 1948 declaring that they "will sacrifice all the political and economic interest of the Arab world in order to save Arab Palestine." She also uncovered Arab military plans for the end of the British Mandate for Palestine.By penetrating the US Embassy, she was able to supply information on the number of Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
n and Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
n troops fighting the Arabs in Palestine.
However, delivering the information she gathered was problematic: She had a radio transmitter, but no-one to operate it for her. She sent the information using mail services via Europe or the United States, but precious time was often lost. During her work in Egypt she often risked not only her own life, but the life of her son.
In July 1948, Harmer was arrested. In August, after falling ill in jail, she was released and deport
Deportation
Deportation means the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. Today it often refers to the expulsion of foreign nationals whereas the expulsion of nationals is called banishment, exile, or penal transportation...
ed. She went to Paris where she worked for the Middle East Department of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, becoming a key figure in that department by 1949. During her work in Paris she maintained her Egyptian contacts, continuing to provide Israel with valuable information.In 1950 she worked in Madrid.
Harmer died in 1959.