New Delhi: As the Israel-Hamas war nears three months, the Netanyahu government is reportedly questioning the need for the Intelligence Ministry, which has no operational mandate.
This comes after the country’s intelligence community was criticised for failing to forestall Hamas’ unprecedented 7 October attack on Israeli communities living along the Gaza border.
Budget concerns triggered by the continuing war have raised questions over the need for the ministry, a 1 January article in the Israeli daily Haaretz said, as it reported that the government had appointed a new director general for the ministry.
The ministry is responsible for coordinating between Israel’s various intelligence agencies, including the Mossad and Shin Bet, which do not operate under it.
The Mossad and the Shin Bet, which operate separately, are the responsibility of the Prime Minister’s Office. The Israeli Defense Forces Intelligence Division works under the Defense Ministry, and then there are Foreign Ministry-led intelligence-related activities.
Established in 2009, the Intelligence Ministry conducts research but does not set policy. The intelligence minister, a position currently held by Gila Gamliel, is not a full cabinet member but rather an observer without the right to vote, the Haaretz report noted.
Over the past year, the ministry has emphasised fighting cyber threats, and worked with the Shin Bet, Mossad, and local government to regulate and create laws on the matter, it added.
The ministry, the report said, also has a research wing that produces position papers on security and policy, and coordinates ties with opponents of the Iranian government in the country’s civil society.
The Intelligence Ministry is one of 10 ministries the Israel treasury has reportedly suggested shutting down over concerns they might be redundant. However, consensus on the idea is said to be elusive.
In October, the country’s public diplomacy ministry — not among the 10 — was shut down, with the cabinet voting to redirect its budget to communities near the Gaza border affected by the Hamas attack.
In light of the ongoing discussions about the effectiveness of the Intelligence Ministry, it is crucial to consider the role of human intelligence in national security. The reliance on technology alone may not suffice in addressing the complexities of modern threats.
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Divided opinion
Speaking to Haaretz, an unnamed minister said that at a time when funds are needed amid the ongoing war, there is “no real need” for the Intelligence Ministry.
An intelligence official noted that the ministry is failing at its primary objective.
“This office was born to coordinate between Israel’s various intelligence agencies, mainly in operational activity or in raising appropriate budgets,” the official was quoted as saying.
“The vision of some of the ministers who filled the role was to become Israel’s ‘chief of intelligence’ or ‘national evaluator’, to formulate an annual status assessment and set an agenda in the field,” the unnamed official added.
The official said this “is a position in which one must become the confidant of the prime minister and the heads of the Mossad, Shin Bet and Military Intelligence”.
“In this respect, after the National Security Council became more robust, the Intelligence Ministry failed to occupy its proper place,” the official added.
The National Security Council of Israel coordinates, designs and plans the national security policy of the country.
However, a public service official was quoted by Haaretz as saying that closing the ministry would be a mistake.
“It is better to reunite the Intelligence Ministry with the Ministry of Strategic Affairs, and even with the Science and Technology Ministry, which would use the capabilities and experience accumulated in that office in new fields,” the official said.
(Edited by Sunanda Ranjan)
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