Historical Dictionary of Israeli Intelligence

Shalom’s career in the ISAspanned three and a half decades. He par-

ticipated in major clandestine operations, including the joint ISA-

Mossadoperation of Eichmann’s Captureas deputy to Rafael (Rafi)

Eitan, the head of the operational team. During his career Shalom

headed the ISA Protective Security Branch. In December 1980 he was

made director of the ISA, replacing Avraham Ahituv. Shalom ap-

pointed Reuven Hazakas his deputy. Shalom was known as a hard

and persistent, if somewhat colorless, worker.

At his own request, Shalom ended his term in September 1986 in

the wake of the commission of inquiry that investigated the Bus 300

Affairin which two Palestinian terroriststaken into custody for hi-

jacking an Israeli bus were murdered by ISA officers on Shalom’s in-

structions. He as well other ISA officials were granted clemency by

the president of Israel before the trial. When he ended his term, he be-

came an independent businessman, mainly overseas, serving as a

consultant to international companies.

SHALTIEL, DAVID (1903–1969).Born to an orthodox Jewish family

in Hamburg, Germany, Shaltiel immigrated to Palestine in 1935 and

joined the Haganah underground. He undertook various Haganah

missions in Europe (1937–1939) and served as head of Haganah

counterintelligence (1940–1942), commander of the Haganah in the

Haifa region (1942–1943), and emissary of the Jewish Agency’s Po-

litical Department to North Africa and France (1944–1945). Shaltiel

headed the Information Servicefrom 1946 to 1948. In the Haganah,

Shaltiel was the link to the Jewish underground groups Irgun and the

Stern Group and helped them coordinate many missions with the Ha-

ganah.

At the time of the establishment of the State of Israel in May 1948,

Shaltiel held several military roles in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)

in the War of Independence. He was commander of the Jerusalem re-

gion (February–July 1948) and commander of the Frontier Force

(1949–1950); he participated in and commanded many operations,

among them the widely condemned attack at Deir Yassin. He also mas-

terminded the Kedem Operation, whose goal was to capture East

Jerusalem. The mission was carried out on 8 July 1948 and was a total

failure. After the War of Independence, Shaltiel became Israel’s mili-

tary attaché in France (1950–1952).

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