Explaining the Mossad

Mossad is a Hebrew word. A noun, it means institute or organization. But The Mossad — no longer a noun — is Israel's world famous, world feared, premier, clandestine intelligence organization.

In English language spy novels and thriller movies, it would be The Firm. The full name of The Mossad, in translation, is the Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations.

Most Mossad operations are kept secret. And yet, they broke their own rules to inform the world about the time they stepped, almost literally, into the lion's den to kidnap and interrogate Yousef Shahbazi Abbasalilo, an operative for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The movie coming to life in stunning, almost real time, detail. And we have the video.

Abbasillo was the leader of a terror cell. The plan, the plot he was to carry out was foiled with the help of Cypriot security forces. His team's mission was to wreak havoc, death and destruction on Jews and Israelis in Cyprus. In the video posted by the Mossad, we see the terrorist and hear his confession, detail after detail.

He outlines his mission, identifies Mohammad Kazemi, head of IRCG intel operations,  and names his handler, Shoushtari Zadeh who assembled the team and gave him detailed instructions. He says, "He told me you need to enter Northern Cyprus where we have certain people who can send you from there to Southern Cyprus."

Abbasillo gives up the names of the operatives he was to work with in Cyprus. The team included Cypriots, Pakistanis and Iranians, six of whom have now been arrested, one is still at large.

Abbasalilo's whereabouts since his capture and after his confession are not known.

Publicizing the Mossad's actions in Iran was a particularly important weapon aimed against Iranian leadership and the leadership of other of Israel's haters and enemies. In publicizing the capture and interrogation, Israel proclaimed that it has operational control. That its operations can reach deep into the heart and the safe spaces of their enemies. That no place on earth is a safe refuge;  hat is: You do us wrong, Israel will find you.

The Mossad answers only to the prime minister of Israel. There is no oversight and there are no legal limits. The best guesstimate is that the Mossad employs over 7,000 people, making it one of the largest intel agencies in the world.

In all probability, the Mossad has conducted over 2,700 assassinations since its inception in 1949. Many are made to look like accidents.

Tens of thousands of volunteers have helped the Mossad since its inception. Of the volunteers, some are dual-citizens of Israel but most not are not. These volunteers play a huge role in the success of the Mossad. They are an essential part of the operational model and the success of the agency.

Almost everything the Mossad does is hidden and cloaked in secrecy. While there is certainly cloak and dagger involved in Mossad operations, they are equally involved in gathering information, technology and science. They are charged with the collection of information, covert operations and counter terror.

In June of 2017 the Mossad opened a new division, the Venture Capital Division. This division invests in new technologies that promise to enhance Israel's safety. The tech firms and the public are not informed that their new investor is the Mossad, but I am told that they have an inkling.

While their budget is kept secret, it is estimated to be $2.3 billion which, in today's world, is a modest — if not paltry — sum considering the job they are tasked with and the role they play in Israel's security and viability.

No agency, especially one so active, is without debacles. Most recently and notably is the case of Jonathan Pollard, the U.S. naval research scientist who gave U.S. secrets to Israel.

Another was the response to a double suicide bombing in the central outdoor market in Jerusalem, in July of 1997, when two Hamas terrorist dressed in black suits to look like Orthodox Israeli Jews murdered 14 people. Then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved an operation to assassinate Khalad Mashal, head of Hamas operations.

Mashal was hiding in Jordan when two Mossad agents spritzed him in the ear with an aerosol, a type of fentanyl. Those agents were caught and another six agents were stuck in the Israeli embassy in Amman.

All were finally released after an Israeli doctor flew to Amman and injected Mashal with the Israeli antidote. In addition, the ailing, nearly blind, Sheik Ahmed Yassin, the wheelchair-user spiritual leader of Hamas, was released from Israeli prison and Netanyahu flew to Amman to personally apologize to King Hussein. Yassin lived until March 2004 when an Israeli Apache helicopter assassinated him and his two bodyguards.

Those are notable exceptions to the many operations of this awe-inspiring intel organization. Failure turns into screeching headlines — success is kept quiet. This was the exception to the exception.

The motto of the Mossad was originally taken from Proverbs 24:6: "With wise guidance you can wage war." It was later changed to Proverbs 11:4: "Where there is no guidance a nation falls. But with great counselors there is safety."

That's the Israeli way.

Micah Halpern is a political and foreign affairs commentator. He founded "The Micah Report" and hosts "Thinking Out Loud with Micah Halpern," a weekly TV program, and "My Chopp," a daily radio spot. Follow him on Twitter @MicahHalpern. Read Micah Halpern's Reports — More Here.