Isser Be'eri
Encyclopedia
Isser Be'eri was the director of the Haganah Intelligence Service
in Israel and was responsible for helping to reorganise Israel
i intelligence services in 1948, as well as knowingly ordering the execution of an innocent man, Meir Tobianski
. He was the founding director of the Israeli Intelligence Department (between 1948 and 1949) which later became the Military Intelligence Directorate.
in Germany
(today in Poland
), Be'eri was one of a group of young men known as the "Six from Bedzin", who were later the founders of Migdal. Be'eri made aliyah
to Palestine
in 1921 and became a member of Kibbutz Artzi. He worked in construction until 1938. Between 1944 and 1945 he managed Israel Military Industries
, and from 1946 to 1947 managed the Na'aman factory.
region. In 1947 he joined Shai, and in February 1948 was appointed its head.
On 30 June 1948 Shai was disbanded as part of a reorganization of the Israeli secret service. Three agencies were created; Shin Bet (Shabak), Mossad
and Military Intelligence Directorate, with Be'eri appointed the Director of the latter.
was a Major in the British army during the Second World War and was a captain in the Haganah
. During the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, Tobianski was working for the Jerusalem Electric Corporation
and had knowledge of the exact location of several arms manufacturers in Jerusalem. These factories had received direct hits from Jordanian artillery.
On 30 June 1948, Tobianski was taken into custody and interrogated by Be'eri, David Kron, Binyamin Gibli
and Avraham Kidron during a drumhead court-martial
. Be'eri had already prepared a firing squad consisting of six soldiers from the Palmach
Yiftach Brigade
, which was in control of the Jerusalem corridor zone. Tobianski was found guilty and executed in Bayt Jiz
, where his body was buried. Tobianski had received neither a lawyer nor a right to appeal, and his case was not reviewed by a higher court. Be'eri knew of his innocence, but still ordered his execution.
In 1949, Be'eri was tried and found guilty of manslaughter
. At the trial the court found that as there was a ceasefire in effect at the time, any information supposedly passed by Tobianski could not have served the Jordanian artillery.
Be'eri received one day of prison time due to his extensive service to Israel. He was pardoned on the same day by the president, Chaim Weizmann
, but Be'eri is said to have left the trial a broken man, and ensconced himself in his home until a fatal heart attack in January 1958.
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
in Israel and was responsible for helping to reorganise Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i intelligence services in 1948, as well as knowingly ordering the execution of an innocent man, Meir Tobianski
Meir Tobianski
Meir Tobianski also Tubianski was an officer in the Israel Defense Forces who was executed as a traitor on circumstantial evidence on the orders of Isser Be'eri, the first director of the IDF's intelligence branch...
. He was the founding director of the Israeli Intelligence Department (between 1948 and 1949) which later became the Military Intelligence Directorate.
Biography
Born in BędzinBedzin
Będzin is a city in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie in southern Poland. Located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Czarna Przemsza river , the city borders the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metro area with a population of about 2 million.It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since its...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(today in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
), Be'eri was one of a group of young men known as the "Six from Bedzin", who were later the founders of Migdal. Be'eri made aliyah
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
in 1921 and became a member of Kibbutz Artzi. He worked in construction until 1938. Between 1944 and 1945 he managed Israel Military Industries
Israel Military Industries
Israel Weapons Industries , formerly the "Magen" division of the Israel Military Industries Ltd. is an Israeli firearms manufacturer. In 2005, the Small Arms Division of IMI was privatized....
, and from 1946 to 1947 managed the Na'aman factory.
Haganah intelligence
Be'eri joined the Haganah in 1938 and was in its work battalions, before becoming commander of the Kfar GiladiKfar Giladi
-External links:* * Jewish Agency for Israel*...
region. In 1947 he joined Shai, and in February 1948 was appointed its head.
On 30 June 1948 Shai was disbanded as part of a reorganization of the Israeli secret service. Three agencies were created; Shin Bet (Shabak), Mossad
Mossad
The Mossad , short for HaMossad leModi'in uleTafkidim Meyuchadim , is the national intelligence agency of Israel....
and Military Intelligence Directorate, with Be'eri appointed the Director of the latter.
Tobianski affair
Meir TobianskiMeir Tobianski
Meir Tobianski also Tubianski was an officer in the Israel Defense Forces who was executed as a traitor on circumstantial evidence on the orders of Isser Be'eri, the first director of the IDF's intelligence branch...
was a Major in the British army during the Second World War and was a captain in the Haganah
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
. During the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, Tobianski was working for the Jerusalem Electric Corporation
Israel Electric Corporation
Israel Electric Corporation is the main supplier of electrical power in Israel.IEC builds, maintains and operates power generation stations, sub-stations, as well as the transmission and distribution networks....
and had knowledge of the exact location of several arms manufacturers in Jerusalem. These factories had received direct hits from Jordanian artillery.
On 30 June 1948, Tobianski was taken into custody and interrogated by Be'eri, David Kron, Binyamin Gibli
Binyamin Gibli
Binyamin Gibli was the head of Israeli Military Intelligence from June 1950 to March 1955. Gibli was forced to resign in the wake of the Lavon Affair, a failed Israeli operation in Egypt in 1954.-Biography:...
and Avraham Kidron during a drumhead court-martial
Drumhead court-martial
A drumhead court-martial is a court-martial held in the field to hear urgent charges of offences committed in action. The term is said to originate from the use of a drumhead as an improvised writing table, altar for religious services, and a traditional gathering point for a regiment for orders...
. Be'eri had already prepared a firing squad consisting of six soldiers from the Palmach
Palmach
The Palmach was the elite fighting force of the Haganah, the underground army of the Yishuv during the period of the British Mandate of Palestine. The Palmach was established on May 15, 1941...
Yiftach Brigade
Yiftach Brigade
The Yiftach Brigade was an Israeli infantry brigade...
, which was in control of the Jerusalem corridor zone. Tobianski was found guilty and executed in Bayt Jiz
Bayt Jiz
Bayt Jiz was a Palestinian Arab village situated on undulating land in the western foothills of the Jerusalem heights, southwest of Ramla. In 1945, it had a population of 550...
, where his body was buried. Tobianski had received neither a lawyer nor a right to appeal, and his case was not reviewed by a higher court. Be'eri knew of his innocence, but still ordered his execution.
In 1949, Be'eri was tried and found guilty of manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
. At the trial the court found that as there was a ceasefire in effect at the time, any information supposedly passed by Tobianski could not have served the Jordanian artillery.
Be'eri received one day of prison time due to his extensive service to Israel. He was pardoned on the same day by the president, Chaim Weizmann
Chaim Weizmann
Chaim Azriel Weizmann, , was a Zionist leader, President of the Zionist Organization, and the first President of the State of Israel. He was elected on 1 February 1949, and served until his death in 1952....
, but Be'eri is said to have left the trial a broken man, and ensconced himself in his home until a fatal heart attack in January 1958.
See also
- 1948 Arab–Israeli War
- Israeli Security ForcesIsraeli Security ForcesSecurity forces in Israel include a variety of organizations, including law enforcement, military, paramilitary, governmental, and intelligence agencies.-Military:...