Israel Security Agency (ISA)
Arab Affairs Department is responsible for antiterrorist operations, political subversion, and maintenance of an index on Arab terrorists.
Non-Arab Affairs Department concerns itself with all other countries, including penetrating foreign intelligence services and diplomatic missions in Israel.
Protective Security Department is responsible for protecting Israeli government buildings and embassies, defense industries, scientific installations, industrial plants, and the El Al national airline.
Activities
ISA monitors the activities of domestic right-wing fringe groups and subversive leftist movements. It is believed to have infiltrated agents into the ranks of parties on both extremes of the spectrum.
Strength
Unknown
Additional Information
In April 1984, Israeli troops stormed a bus hijacked by four Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Although two of the hijackers survived, they were later beaten to death by ISA agents. It appeared that the agents were acting under orders of Avraham Shalom, the head of ISA. Shalom falsified evidence and instructed ISA witnesses to lie to investigators to cover up ISA's role. In the ensuing controversy, the attorney general was removed from his post for refusing to abandon his investigation.
ISA's reputation was further compromised by the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in November 1995 by right-wing Israeli extremist Yigal Amir. The ISA had dispatched an undercover agent, Avishai Raviv, to infiltrate Amir's extremist organization, but Raviv, even though he managed to 'befriend' Amir, failed to prevent the death of the Prime Minister.