After resigning from the IDF, Harkabi joined the faculty of He-
brew University in Jerusalem as professor of international relations.
Following the 1973 Yom Kippur War, he served as an adviser to
Minister of Defense Shimon Peres.HARMELIN, YOSEF (1922–1994).Born in Vienna, Harmelin immi-
grated to Palestine in 1939 and volunteered for the British army in
World War II. After the establishment of the State of Israel in May
1948, he joined the Israeli Security Agency(ISA) and rose through
the ISA ranks until in 1964 when he was appointed director of the or-
ganization by Prime Minister Levi Eshkol. Harmelin held this posi-
tion until 1975, winning a reputation for honesty, sincerity, and per-
fectionism, if not brilliance. His relations with Eshkol were formal,
although the prime minister consulted him fairly frequently. In the
mid-1960s Harmelin recommended the abolition of the military gov-
ernment imposed on Israeli Arab citizens. His advice was accepted
by the Israeli government, and the military government was termi-
nated in 1966.
Following a secret inquiry in Israel into the Munich massacreof
Israeli Olympic athletes in September 1972, three senior ISA officers
were dismissed and Harmelin threatened to resign. However, Prime
Minister Golda Meir persuaded him to stay on. As a result of this se-
curity debacle, Harmelin decided to appoint Avraham Shalomto
head the ISA Protective Security Branch. In 1975 Shalom replaced
Harmelin as director of the ISA.
In 1978 Harmelin joined Israel’s foreign service and was appointed
head of the Israeli delegation in Iran (1978–1979). In 1979 he be-
came Israeli ambassador to South Africa, where he served until 1981.
Following the Bus 300 Affair, he was called to direct the ISA again
(1986–1988). Harmelin is remembered for his rejection of the use of
violence in ISA interrogations, even of terrorists.HARMER, YOLANDE (?–1959).Born in Egypt to a Turkish-Jewish
mother, her maiden name was Yolande Gabai and her Hebrew name
Yolande Har-Mor. She is thought of as the Israeli Mata Hari. Harmer
was a widow with one son from her third husband, a wealthy South
African businessman. She was recruited in Egypt to the Political De-
partment of the Jewish Agency during a visit to that country by the110 • HARMELIN, YOSEF06-102 (03) H-P.qxd 3/24/06 7:24 AM Page 110