Simone Lawson
Israel does not have a formal, unitary, written constitution. Instead, it has enacted several Basic Laws that deal with government arrangements and human rights. These Basic Laws were intended to be draft chapters of a future Israeli constitution, which has been postponed since 1950. Mossad, Israel's national intelligence agency, was formed in 1949 and is responsible for intelligence collection, covert operations, and counter-terrorism. The organization has been criticized for its controversial methods, including targeted assassinations allegedly carried out by its agents in foreign nations. While Mossad's activities are highly classified, it has been described as a deep state due to its direct accountability to the prime minister rather than the Knesset.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Mossad's existence | Mossad was formed on December 13, 1949, as the Central Institute for Coordination at the recommendation of Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion. |
| Mossad's operations | Mossad is responsible for intelligence collection, covert operations, and counter-terrorism outside of Israel's borders. |
| Mossad's structure | Mossad is divided into several specialized departments, including the Collections Department and the Political Action and Liaison Department. |
| Mossad's accountability | Mossad answers directly and only to the prime minister and is not bound by the same constitutional laws as Israel's citizens and other institutions. |
| Mossad's criticism | Mossad has been criticized for its controversial methods, including targeted assassinations allegedly carried out by its agents in foreign nations. |
| Israel's constitution | Israel does not have a formal, unitary, written constitution but operates according to an uncodified constitution consisting of material constitutional law, common law, and formal statutes. |
| Basic Laws of Israel | The Basic Laws were intended to be draft chapters of a future Israeli constitution but act as a de facto constitution until their future incorporation into a formal document. |
| Public information access | Israel lacked a written constitution or statutory authority guaranteeing freedom of information, but progressive Supreme Court rulings and lobbying efforts have contributed to a change in attitudes, and legislation was enacted in 1999 to guarantee the public's right to information. |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- Israel does not have a formal, unitary, written constitution
- The Basic Laws are considered a de facto constitution
- Mossad is not bound by the same constitutional laws as Israel's citizens
- Mossad is one of the world's largest espionage agencies
- Mossad's activities include covert operations and counter-terrorism
Israel does not have a formal, unitary, written constitution
The Israeli Declaration of Independence, proclaimed on May 14, 1948, stated that a constituent assembly should prepare a constitution by October 1, 1948. However, due to the ongoing conflict with neighbouring Arab states and internal disagreements, this deadline was not met. In February 1949, the Constituent Assembly convened and adopted the Transition Law, transforming itself into the First Knesset. The Knesset is responsible for fulfilling the function of preparing a constitution, but it has not yet completed this task.
The Basic Laws of Israel address government arrangements and human rights, but they do not cover all constitutional issues. While some consider these laws to be the country's constitution, others argue that they do not constitute a formal constitution. The lack of a single, comprehensive document has led to calls from various Israeli bodies for the enactment of a formal constitution. These calls intensified during the 2023 anti-judicial reform protests, with multiple opposition figures and civil society organizations advocating for the codification of the Basic Laws into a unified constitution.
The absence of a formal, written constitution has implications for the functioning of the Israeli government and its institutions. Notably, the Mossad, Israel's national intelligence agency, operates outside the bounds of the constitution. The Mossad's activities are highly classified, and its structure and leadership are closely guarded state secrets. The agency has faced scrutiny and criticism for its controversial methods, including alleged targeted assassinations in foreign nations. The Mossad's ability to act without the constraints of a formal constitution grants it a significant degree of autonomy and influence in shaping regional dynamics and international relations.
The Constitution's Ratification: A Nation Fractured
You may want to see also
The Basic Laws are considered a de facto constitution
The State of Israel does not have a formal, unitary, written constitution. Instead, it has enacted several Basic Laws that deal with government arrangements and human rights. These Basic Laws are considered a de facto constitution.
The Basic Laws were intended to be draft chapters of a future Israeli constitution, which has been postponed since 1950. They act as a constitution until their future incorporation into a formal, unitary, written constitution. Israel is one of six countries that operate entirely or in part according to an uncodified constitution consisting of material constitutional law (based on cases and precedents), common law, and the provisions of formal statutes.
The delay in formulating a constitution resulted primarily from the inability of different groups in Israeli society to agree on the purpose of the state, its identity, and a long-term vision. Another factor was the opposition of David Ben-Gurion, who served as prime minister from 1948-1954 and 1955-1963. Ben-Gurion thought that a formal written constitution would allow the Israeli Supreme Court to overrule his socialist policies and entrench the existing proportional representation system.
The Israeli Supreme Court president, Aharon Barak, ruled that the Basic Laws should be considered the state's constitution, and that became the common approach throughout his tenure (1995-2006). Opponents of this approach included Barak's colleague, Supreme Court Justice Mishael Cheshin. Various bodies in Israel have called for the enactment of a formal constitution as a single document, and these calls increased during the 2023 anti-judicial reform protests.
Mossad, the national intelligence agency of Israel, was formed in 1949, shortly after the nation of Israel was established by the United Nations. It is responsible for intelligence collection, covert operations, and counter-terrorism. Its director answers directly and only to the prime minister. Mossad is not bound by the same constitutional laws as Israel's citizens and other institutions. Its operations are highly classified, and much of its activities, structure, and leadership are highly guarded state secrets.
Exploring the Constitution: Why and How to Read It
You may want to see also
Mossad is not bound by the same constitutional laws as Israel's citizens
The State of Israel has no formal, unitary, written constitution. Instead, it has enacted several Basic Laws that deal with government arrangements and human rights. These Basic Laws are considered the state's constitution and act as a de facto constitution until their future incorporation into a formal, unitary, written constitution.
Mossad, the national intelligence agency of Israel, was formed in 1949 shortly after the nation of Israel was established. It is responsible for intelligence collection, covert operations, and counter-terrorism. The organization is accountable only to the prime minister and not to the Knesset, or the Israeli parliament. Due to this direct accountability to the prime minister, journalist Ronen Bergman has described Mossad as a "deep state".
The work and operations of Mossad are highly classified and much of its activities, structure, and leadership are kept as state secrets. The agency has the authority to operate outside of Israel's constitution and is not bound by the same constitutional laws as Israel's citizens and other institutions. This has allowed Mossad to employ controversial methods, including targeted assassinations of enemies and former Nazi war criminals living abroad.
The secrecy surrounding Mossad's operations has been strictly maintained, even after its existence was publicly acknowledged. The agency has only acknowledged limited details about its operations and organizational structure. This level of secrecy is necessary to protect the sensitive nature of Mossad's work and ensure the safety of its operatives.
The Constitution's Balance of Powers: A Delicate Dance
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$84.01 $99
$12.5 $69.95
Mossad is one of the world's largest espionage agencies
The State of Israel has an uncodified constitution. Instead of a formal written constitution, it has enacted several Basic Laws of Israel dealing with government arrangements and human rights. These Basic Laws are considered the constitution by the Israeli Supreme Court.
Mossad, or the Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations, is the national intelligence agency of Israel. It is one of the three major intelligence organizations of Israel, along with Aman (military intelligence) and Shin Bet (internal security). It was formed on December 13, 1949, shortly after the nation of Israel was established by the United Nations. It has an annual budget of about $3 billion and 7,000 staff, making it the second-largest espionage agency in the Western world after the CIA.
Mossad is responsible for intelligence collection, covert operations, and counter-terrorism outside of Israel's borders. It has several specialized departments, the largest being the Collections Department, which coordinates foreign espionage operations. This department is responsible for maintaining agents working in official offices and unofficial "stations" around the globe.
Mossad's operations are highly classified, and much of its activities, structure, and leadership are closely guarded state secrets. The agency has the authority to operate outside of Israel's constitution and has been criticized for its controversial methods, including targeted assassinations allegedly carried out by its agents in foreign nations.
Mossad's former motto, "For by stratagems you wage war," underscores the organization's focus on espionage and covert operations. The agency's ability to maintain secrecy and conduct vast operations worldwide, with the help of sayanim (unpaid Jewish civilian assistants), further highlights its reputation as one of the world's largest and most influential espionage agencies.
US Marshals: Bound by the Constitution?
You may want to see also
Mossad's activities include covert operations and counter-terrorism
Israel has no formal, unitary, written constitution. Instead, it has enacted several Basic Laws that act as a de facto constitution. These Basic Laws are not considered comprehensive, and there is no deadline for their merger into a single constitution.
Mossad, Israel's national intelligence agency, is responsible for intelligence collection, covert operations, and counter-terrorism. Its activities include:
- Espionage: Mossad has conducted espionage operations in other countries, including Egypt, Germany, and Syria. For example, Mossad spy Wolfgang Lotz, a West German citizen, infiltrated Egypt in 1957 and gathered intelligence on Egyptian military installations. Mossad also maintains Israeli secret agents in Arab and other nations.
- Covert Operations: Mossad has been involved in covert operations such as Operation Moses and Operation Joshua, which involved covertly relocating Ethiopian Jews from refugee camps in Sudan to Israel. Mossad also played a role in the exfiltration of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann from Argentina to Israel.
- Counter-Terrorism: Mossad has tracked down and assassinated individuals deemed threats to Israel, including Arab guerrilla leaders responsible for the massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. Mossad has also partnered with other intelligence agencies, such as the CIA, to combat terrorism.
- Political Action: Mossad has facilitated secret peace negotiations with Arab nations like Egypt and Jordan, where open collaboration with Israel would have caused anger among radical elements.
- Forgery: Mossad has been implicated in passport forgery, creating passports for the Israeli Embassy in London for use in covert operations.
- Surveillance: Mossad has conducted surveillance on individuals and groups considered threats to Israel, such as Hezbollah operatives.
- Intelligence Sharing: Mossad informed the FBI and CIA about potential terrorist threats to the United States in 2001, indicating that a large-scale attack might be imminent.
Constitution: A Living, Breathing Document, Why?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Mossad, or the Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations, is the national intelligence agency of Israel. It is responsible for intelligence collection, covert operations, and counter-terrorism.
Israel does not have a formal, unitary, written constitution. Instead, it has several Basic Laws that act as a de facto constitution. These laws do not cover all constitutional issues, and there is no deadline for them to be merged into a comprehensive constitution. Therefore, there is nothing about Mossad in the Israeli constitution.
The Israeli Declaration of Independence stated that a formal constitution would be formulated and adopted by 1 October 1948. However, due to the war between the new state and its Arab neighbours, this deadline was not met. In 1950, the Israeli Constituent Assembly decided to legislate a constitution chapter by chapter, rather than draft a full constitution immediately. This decision was made because different groups in Israeli society could not agree on the purpose of the state, its identity, and a long-term vision.
No, Mossad is not bound by the same constitutional laws as other Israeli institutions and citizens. Its operations are highly classified, and its activities, structure, and leadership are considered state secrets.
