and became the school commander (1953–1954). In 1955 he was ap-
pointed intelligence officer of Paratroop Brigade 202 under Ariel
Sharon’s command. In this position Mahanaimi’s reputation as a
combat intelligence officer became legendary. He was able to prepare
at short notice a file of aerial photographs and reports on every Arab
village and every military and police post in the West Bank (then un-
der Jordanian rule) and the Gaza Strip. He collected the information
from reconnaissance patrols or from interrogating prisoners of war.
Mahanaimi saw action in the 1956 Sinai Campaignwith the unit
in the battle for the Mitla Pass. After the campaign he was sent on an
IDF mission to Ethiopia (1957–1960). In 1962 Mahanaimi was ap-
pointed intelligence officer of the IDF Central Command and served
in this position until 1968. Then he was tasked to set up Training
Base 15, the intelligence schoolof the IDF; he was appointed as the
school’s first commander. From 1971 until 1974 he served as liaison
officer to the UN forces on Israel’s borders, with the rank of colonel.
He took part in the military disengagement talks with Egypt after the
1973 Yom Kippur War.
In February 1974 at a conference of the General Command, Ma-
hanaimi while still in uniform publicly demanded the resignation of
Prime Minister Golda Meir; that speech apparently ended any further
hopes of promotion. Although officially still a serving IDF officer, he
was transferred to a civilian job in 1976 as deputy to Rehavam
Ze’evi, the adviser on terrorismto Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. In
1985 Rabin, then defense minister, awarded Mahanaimi the rank of
brigadier general despite the past. He died just prior to his retirement
from the IDF in 1986.MAHLEKET MODI’IN.See MILITARY INTELLIGENCE; NAVAL
INTELLIGENCE SQUADRON.MAKHELA.See MISGERET.MALKA, AMOS (1953– ).Born in Haifa, Israel, Malka was director of
Military Intelligence(DMI) from 1998 until 2002. He began his mil-
itary service in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the armored corps.
During his military career, he rose in rank and position to command
various combat units, culminating as commander of armored brigades.MALKA, AMOS• 17506-102 (03) H-P.qxd 3/24/06 7:25 AM Page 175