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Ex-head of Israel’s Secret Service Criticized for Revelations

December 16, 1966
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Isser Harel, who served for many years as the anonym our head of Israel’s secret service and who recently resigned as Premier Levi Eshkol’s security problems adviser, was under sharp criticism here today for a series of speeches disclosing details of government affairs which many Israelis feel should not be publicized.

Harel resigned from the Secret Service in a dispute with then Premier David Ben-Gurion over security policies but remained out of the limelight until Premier Eshkol appointed him as an adviser. Many observers believe Harel’s addresses were an effort to prove that Premier Eshkol also had adopted wrong security policies.

Party leaders were trying to play down the whole affair while asking Harel to discontinue his “revelations” which they said were in bad taste. There were reports that he might be asked to appear before a tribunal or Parliamentary commission so that he could make a statement in proper fashion.

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