Former Mossad director Efraim Halevy on Wednesday criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for having harmed the spy agency’s ability to operate under cover due to his desire to publicly take credit for operations for his own political gain.
“Netanyahu knowingly undermined [Israel’s] policy of not taking credit [for operations] thought to have been carried out by the Mossad, something his predecessors carefully stuck to,” said Halevy.
Halevy, who retired as Mossad chief in 2002, added that “Netanyahu’s [public] statements caused the Mossad problems with clandestine disruption operations” of Israel’s enemies.
The former spymaster criticized the prime minister’s speeches at ceremonies for the outgoing and incoming Mossad chiefs, saying they were focused on himself and seeking personal glory, rather than giving credit to the agents.
Halevy referred to a threatening speech Netanyahu made against Iran from the Dimona nuclear site which he said unnecessarily drew attention to Dimona and increased the threat of a conflict instead of reducing it.
According to foreign reports, over decades, Israel has produced 80-200 nuclear weapons at Dimona.
Halevy said he hopes that the expected new prime minister and government would return to keeping the Mossad in the shadows to help maximize its effectiveness and not use it for self-aggrandizement.