Can an American join Mossad? Decker, Pex, Levi

The Israeli Mossad (“institute”, officially the Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations” is one of the better known national security agencies. Many young men in Israel grow up dreaming of becoming dashing special agents – and given the Mossad’s international reputation, the same is true for foreign citizens as well. Failure to notice an impending attack in time can result in thousands of deaths, often due to the lack of the right agent at the right spot. So, can an American join Mossad?

In short, like many other national intelligence services, the Institute for Intelligence requires its agents to be Israeli citizens. For instance, the current official page for submitting your resume to the Mossad \ Shin Bet (Israel’s security service) is only in Hebrew. Unlike a number of other services worldwide, dual citizenships are not an issue, and someone who holds both an Israeli and a US passport would be more than welcome to join, provided they qualify. In other words, the first step towards the joining the Mossad as an American is to make Aliyah to Israel and acquire an Israeli citizenship. Being young enough to serve in the Israeli Defense Forces is a major advantage.

The above is also true for Americans who wish to join the IDF. Unlike certain countries, citizens and permanent residents must \ can serve in the army, but military service is not a path to citizenship for those who are not otherwise eligible.

On the other hand, not everyone who works with security services is in fact an official agent. Many assistants (“sayanim”) are recruited or apply when otherwise cooperating with Israel’s government or volunteering in Israel, based on personal qualifications and interests.

Who is recruited into the Mossad and how?

As is fairly common among secretive security agencies, the Mossad does not advertise the exact details of its application process and who are the accepted candidates. We do know, from Hebrew publications, that serving in IDF elite units \ intelligence services is no longer a prerequisite or the most common characteristic is Mossad recruits. The Institute accepts candidates from a wide variety of areas in Israeli life, placing an emphasis not just on their military service but also on their academic career, business sense and other paths to excellence.

After applying, candidates undergo a several months long selection process that tests, among other things, their intelligence, creativity, adaptability and emotional stability. Even after being provisionally accepted, candidates remain on probationary terms for a year, to see that they do not misuse their security clearance and status.

What is the Mossad?

The Mossad is the national intelligence agency of Israel. It is one of the world’s most secretive and feared intelligence agencies, and is responsible for gathering intelligence, conducting covert operations, and preventing terrorist attacks against Israel.

The Mossad was founded in 1948, shortly after the establishment of the State of Israel. Its early missions included gathering intelligence on Arab armies and infiltrating refugee camps to search for Nazi fugitives. The Mossad is in charge of external security, conducting its primary operations ant intelligence gathering outside the boundaries of Israel and the territories. The Shin Bet and Aman handle threats of terrorist attacks from the Gaza strip and the West Bank, as well as military threats from the neighboring states.

Below are a number of well known Mossad operations. It takes decades for classified intelligence to be released and the role played by the Mossad revealed, so these are primarily from the 20th century.

Successes

The Mossad has carried out many successful operations over the years, including:

Operation Eichmann (1960): The Mossad captured Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann in Argentina and brought him to Israel to stand trial. At the time, the delineation between the duties of the Mossad and the Shin Bet was less clear, so most team members belonged to the latter.
Operation Wrath of God aka Operation Bayonet (1979-1983): After the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre, Mossad operatives have hunted and assassinated Black September operatives around the world. The operation was featured in (among other works of fiction) the films Sword of Gideon and Steven Spielberg’s Munich.
Operation Opera (1981): Before the airstrike that the destroyed the Iraqi nuclear reactor, the Mossad spent several years sabotaging and delaying its construction.
Operation Orchard (2007): The Mossad discovered a Syrian nuclear reactor, resulting in its destruction before it could become operational.

So can an American join Mossad?

If they become an Israeli citizen, yes. However, even those who cannot acquire an Israeli citizenship may volunteer in Israel and aid the Jewish state. Furthermore, establishing contacts in Israel may result in finding a way to cooperate with the Israeli security services, even if you don’t end up becoming a Mossad agent.