indicated clearly that the Egyptians intended to carry out a maritime
operation against Israel. One report disclosed that a state of alert
had been declared in the artillery units on the Egyptian coast near
Port Said, the other that an Egyptian helicopter had detected the
Eilat. However, the two most important items arrived between two
and three hours before the Egyptian missiles were launched. One
was an order stating that firing from the harbor of Port Said was
prohibited, but that authorization existed for firing outside the port.
The second was a directive declaring a high alert in all Egyptian
naval forces in the Port Said sector.
But there was a breakdown of communications between Unit 515 and
Department Yam 4, the abbreviated name of the Naval Intelligence
Squadron. The secure teleprinter connecting these two units was out of
order, so the message was not transmitted. Leviatan, the duty officer that
day in Unit 515, maintained that he had conveyed the messages over the
telephone to Yam 4. The officer in Yam 4, however, asserted that it did
not reach him. Although it was well-nigh impossible to decide between
the two versions, the credibility of the officer in Yam 4 was deemed
greater. The recommendation was therefore that the officers of MI Unit
515 stand a disciplinary court-martial for not ascertaining that the in-
formation had in fact reached its destination. Leviatan was tried and
given a reprimand.EITAN, RAFAEL (RAFI) (1926– ).Born in Kibbutz Ein Harod, Is-
rael, Eitan is known by his Hebrew nickname Ha’Masriah
(Stinker). In the years before the establishment of the State of Israel
in 1948, he was a member of the Palmah underground militia. Serv-
ing in Israel’s War of Independence, Eitan was wounded; subse-
quently he joined Military Intelligence of the Israel Defense
Forces (IDF). After retiring from the IDF, Eitan joined the Israeli
Security Agency(ISA), then under the directorship of Isser Harel.
Eitan headed the ISA Operations Branch. After Harel became di-
rector of the Mossad, Eitan too moved to this organization. He did
not miss a single important operation, sending letter bombs to the
German scientists in Egypt in the 1960s and leading the Mossad
team in Eichmann’s Capturein 1960. Eitan also handled Eli Co-
hen, the Israeli spy in Syria. He headed the Mossad’s Metsada Unit
(formerly known as Caesarea).86 • EITAN, RAFAEL06-102 (02) A-G.qxd 3/24/06 7:23 AM Page 86