declared mentally unfit to stand trial. He was hospitalized at the
Mizra psychiatric hospital near Acre and discharged from the IDF.
Following his release from the hospital three years later, he became a
private investigator.
At about that time, at a Haifa bar Amit made the acquaintance of
an American naval officer whose ship had docked in the port. After
the encounter, the naval officer reported to his superiors that Amit
had boasted about his experience in Israeli intelligence. It is not clear
whether the officer had been recruiting for U.S. intelligence from the
start or whether he simply passed Amit’s story on out of patriotic loy-
alty. In any event, an American plan to make use of Amit was de-
vised. At some point the naval officer told Amit of his intention to re-
tire from the service, settle in West Germany, and start a business.
Amit responded by alluding to his own wish to make good money
and suggested that they do business together. The two men struck a
deal, and Amit traveled to West Germany where he met up with his
friend again. He was introduced to some other “friends,” who in fact
were members of the U.S. intelligence community: Central Intelli-
gence Agency (CIA) officers stationed at the U.S. embassy in Bonn.
These contacts, all in West Germany, continued for several months.
The Americans instructed Tom Waltz, a Jewish CIA officer sta-
tioned at the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv, to find out just how much
Amit had to offer. Waltz became Amit’s direct handler and instructed
him on the kind of material the Americans wanted. Above all, they
were interested in Israeli troop movements and intentions in Lebanon
and the Occupied Territories. Contacts continued almost until Amit’s
arrest on 24 March 1986 for spying for the United States. Sometime
before that date the Israeli Security Agency(ISA) and the Israel po-
lice began to suspect him because of information they received from
a friend of his; Amit had reportedly spoken of links with U.S. intelli-
gence. In custody, Amit cooperated with his interrogators and pro-
vided complete details of his relationship with the CIA: meeting
places, dates, and names of individuals he had met, including Waltz.
He revealed the information he had given to the Americans and ad-
mitted receiving several thousand dollars from the CIA.
A search of his apartment by the ISA revealed classified military
documents, as well as copies of secret ISA material. Under question-
ing, Amit stated that he had obtained the material from a childhoodAMIT, YOSEF•1106-102 (02) A-G.qxd 3/24/06 7:23 AM Page 11