Historical Dictionary of Israeli Intelligence

This story was published in the Washington Post on 7 May 1997.

The NSA also intercepted Yatom’s rejection of the request, while ad-

monishing his agent. Briefly in early 1997 the CIA, the Federal Bu-

reau of Investigation, and the NSA were engaged in a mole hunt for

an “Israeli spy” believed to be operating inside the highest levels of

the Clinton administration’s national security establishment. Some

years later Yatom, who had served as military secretary to former de-

fense minister and prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, emphasized that

Rabin unequivocally prohibited the Israeli intelligence community

from collecting intelligence information by any illegal means. When

the Mega story was revealed in 1997 in the U.S. media, Director of

Central Intelligence (DCI) George Tenet asked Yatom for clarifica-

tions in a phone call and in writing. These clarifications did not sat-

isfy Tenet, and Yatom flew to the United States to meet him. During

their conversation, it became clear that the allegation was false. Later

the DCI wrote Yatom a letter of apology.

The lesson of the Mega Affair was that the NSA was far more

adept at deciphering than previously assessed. The agency had suc-

ceeded in decoding the Mossad’s most sensitive phone conversations.

The Israeli intelligence community had to improve substantially its

coding capability.

MEHDAL.Hebrew for “flaw” or “fault.” It became the most popular

Hebrew term among the Israeli public to describe the 1973 Yom Kip-

pur War. It meant the overall lack of preparation for that war—empty

emergency stores and the like. Above all, however, it referred to the

wrong assessment of Military Intelligenceregarding the Arab mili-

tary intentions, and the resulting surprise. See also CONCEPT, THE.

MENKES, YOSEPH.SeeKASTNER, ISRAEL.

MERHAV, REUVEN (1936– ).Merhav joined the Mossadin 1961.

Among his key roles in the organization was representing Israel in

Tehran and in African countries. After retiring from the Mossad in

1983, Merhav served as director of Israel’s quasi embassy in Beirut.

Other posts held by Merhav were director-general of the Foreign

Ministry (1988–1991) and director-general of the Immigrant Absorp-

tion Ministry. Merhav was a member of the Israeli delegation at the

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