mossad

melindamusil

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1)If a person wants to leave Mossad (the israeli special forces), would it be like leaving the US military (just walking away)? Or would it be more akin to "Burn Notice" (a spy getting "burned", can't leave the city, always has to watch his back, etc.)?

2)After a person leaves Mossad, what (if any) restrictions are placed on them? Can they work for the military/government of another nation?

Thanks everyone!
 

cornflake

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1)If a person wants to leave Mossad (the israeli special forces), would it be like leaving the US military (just walking away)? Or would it be more akin to "Burn Notice" (a spy getting "burned", can't leave the city, always has to watch his back, etc.)?

2)After a person leaves Mossad, what (if any) restrictions are placed on them? Can they work for the military/government of another nation?

Thanks everyone!

I'm sure someone will have more knowledge than I, but as far as I know, it can, at least, be like just leaving, yeah, as I had a professor who was ex-Mossad and she didn't seem too flustered. ;)

Dunno about the second q., though she did work in another country.
 

melindamusil

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Thanks cornflake! That's what I was thinking, but it feels like a factoid that should be checked. I found a few books/websites that are (allegedly) written by ex-Mossad. But there are enough questions about the authors that I'm not sure I can trust it.

I suspect that former Mossad agents are similar to former Navy Seals, in that, they don't go around bragging about it or telling people about it. But I'd like to be accurate, if possible.
 

Bing Z

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How come I've always thought Mossad was Israel's CIA, rather than military special ops like Navy Seal?

If they're indeed like CIA, it's easy. CIA hires all kinds of people, eg college grads to read & translate newspapers from all over the world, or pilots to fly Gulfstreams ferrying the directors to meet with their mistresses business counterparts. Very safe jobs. These people surely can quit and live normal lives. Maybe some fine prints that can lead mouthy folks to prison.

OTOH, there are secret operatives/agents who may have to deny working for CIA from day one. And there are operatives (eg Robert Seldon Lady who was allegedly involved a kidnap operation in Italy) may never be able to live a normal civilian life again. I think their termination of employment contracts are hella complicated.

So is your character a Mossad translator or an assassin?
 

melindamusil

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How come I've always thought Mossad was Israel's CIA, rather than military special ops like Navy Seal?
Bing, I've always thought they were sort of a cross between the special forces and CIA. They were (are?) very prolific in gaining information, infiltrating enemies, etc. but they have also taken part in kidnappings and assassinations that (to me) seem more Navy Seal-esque. (But I don't claim to be an authority on the subject, and I'm open to correction if a more knowledgeable person speaks up.)

So is your character a Mossad translator or an assassin?
At this point, I'm not sure. I had the idea last night that one of my characters be ex-Mossad-turned-FBI agent, so the Mossad thing would be his backstory. The primary purpose would be so that he would have "connections" in Mossad for gaining intelligence related to their case.

As a secondary purpose, it just strikes me as a fitting way to explain his personality and to set him apart from the other characters in this story.
 

Shakesbear

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Bing you thought right!
Mossad - המוסד למודיעין ולתפקידים מיוחדים‎, meaning "Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations is not 'special forces'. Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mossad

Special forces - (like Sayeret Matkal,סיירת מטכ"ל, General Staff Reconnaissance Unit) (carried out the raid on Entebbe) also called The Unit do not do the same stuff as Mossad. There are approx forty Sayerets dealing with all sorts of 'stuff'.

All the people who work for Mossad and/or the Sayerets do not talk about their work or what they did or did not do. Their personal security and the safety of their families would be at risk if they did - from ex-colleagues as well as some of the people they have 'sorted'. This is probably true of all service people who work in covert operations.

Some members of Mossad may have served with a Sayeret - but trying to find info on that can be difficult because of the security restrictions. An example of someone who did both is Yoni Netenyahu, though no one will confirm one way or another. There is a reference to this in one of the books written about him - only I cannot remember which one!
 
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Bing Z

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At this point, I'm not sure. I had the idea last night that one of my characters be ex-Mossad-turned-FBI agent, so the Mossad thing would be his backstory. The primary purpose would be so that he would have "connections" in Mossad for gaining intelligence related to their case.

As a secondary purpose, it just strikes me as a fitting way to explain his personality and to set him apart from the other characters in this story.

Is it inspired by NCIS' Ziva David?

NCIS, being a Hollywood product, has ignored some hindrances. Federal agents require applicants to be U.S. citizens. Your guy can immigrate to the US after retiring from Mossad and five years later apply for citizenship. There maybe shortcuts/exceptions but I'd imagine that would call for very special circumstances (like he's the only person who understands a special Arabic sign language used by top terrorists... but would that make him indispensable to or burnable by Mossad?)

So your guy, if he goes the normal route, will take 6 years before he can apply for FBI. Will his contacts/knowledge still be useful?

ETA: You can get him double citizenship... The US allows this, like if he was born in the US and grew up in Israel. But I"m not sure if a) Israel allows double citizenship and b) if Mossad allows people with double citizenship working for them.
 
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melindamusil

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Is it inspired by NCIS' Ziva David?

Originally, believe it or not, no - but then when I did a few internet searches, I discovered that my "idea" was surprising similar to Ziva.

ETA: I shouldn't be picking up my iphone and writing when I should be sleeping, but I'm just so doggone inspired!

Problem (for me) with the NCIS route - in NCIS, Ziva begins as a Mossad liason, solving crimes that are somewhat international and thus somewhat related to Israel. My "case" is basically domestic, and why would Mossad loan an agent to the US to solve a crime that doesn't have any effect on them?

I've been researching the dual citizenship route, and I think it is technically doable but it may be a stretch. I'm afraid it would require enough "suspension of disbelief" that it might distract from the main plot.

Perhaps I need to go a different route... that he grew up in Tel Aviv/worked in Tel Aviv and knows people that way... or maybe just a friend who happens to be in Mossad... hmm...

ETA: or maybe I'll just dump Mossad and use the CIA. Sigh.
 
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benbenberi

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Maybe your guy isn't an agent, but a consultant or a contractor? You may have more flexibility that way.
 

Bing Z

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If all you need is some (Mossad) connection and want to avoid dual citizenship/immigration or anything too complicated...

How about serving at FBI overseas offices in Tel Aviv in the past? You can call up FBI for details like durations of overseas rotations.

How about working as expatriate all over Israel in commercial or industrial sectors in the past. Later he makes career change and joins FBI, which is always looking for experienced finance and computing guys, among others.
 
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melindamusil

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:: bangs head against desk::
Why oh why do I always try to make things so difficult? :)

Thank you so much, my AW friends!
:Hug2:
You are amazing! Rep points all around!
 
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cornflake

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ROFL! Did any of your classmates "mysteriously" disappear? ;)

No, but she did like to seem extra threatening when discussing when something would be due. ;)

As to dual citizenship, just btw, tons of people have dual Israeli/U.S., that's not any deal at all. I know someone actually, as this just happened to come up, who holds U.S., Swiss, Israeli and Irish citizenship and all four passports, completely legally all around.

I've known a bunch of people hold dual Israeli/U.S. - many do that just to do that. I know someone who got it through serving a year in the Israeli army iirc.
 

melindamusil

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No, but she did like to seem extra threatening when discussing when something would be due. ;)

As to dual citizenship, just btw, tons of people have dual Israeli/U.S., that's not any deal at all. I know someone actually, as this just happened to come up, who holds U.S., Swiss, Israeli and Irish citizenship and all four passports, completely legally all around.

I've known a bunch of people hold dual Israeli/U.S. - many do that just to do that. I know someone who got it through serving a year in the Israeli army iirc.

I read that nowadays, Mossad (and other spy-type agencies, I'm sure) actually want people with dual citizenships, as their other passports can get them into nations where Israelis might not be allowed.

In fact, I think dual citizenships are more common in general nowadays, with our increased travel and such. (But FOUR citizenships? How'd your friend manage that??)
 

cornflake

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I read that nowadays, Mossad (and other spy-type agencies, I'm sure) actually want people with dual citizenships, as their other passports can get them into nations where Israelis might not be allowed.

In fact, I think dual citizenships are more common in general nowadays, with our increased travel and such. (But FOUR citizenships? How'd your friend manage that??)

I know because I asked the same q., all jealously, heh. Was born in the U.S., each parent was born in one of the other countries, which allowed him (and siblings) to be able to apply because the parent holds it naturally, and one parent did the same with their parent, so held two themselves, so the kids applied for that one too. Family is smart. They figured if they could get the passports and paperwork, why not take them. They travel; it's apparently come in handy sidestepping more than one customs line and may come in handier - they can go live and work in any of those countries without issue and the Irish one ties to the EU.
 

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melindamusil

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I know because I asked the same q., all jealously, heh. Was born in the U.S., each parent was born in one of the other countries, which allowed him (and siblings) to be able to apply because the parent holds it naturally, and one parent did the same with their parent, so held two themselves, so the kids applied for that one too. Family is smart. They figured if they could get the passports and paperwork, why not take them. They travel; it's apparently come in handy sidestepping more than one customs line and may come in handier - they can go live and work in any of those countries without issue and the Irish one ties to the EU.

Jealous, and amazed! It would be so convenient to have multiple passports when I travel!

Of course - are you SURE he isn't a member of Mossad? You might wanna watch him closely, make sure he doesn't mix up his name. He might be confusing his multiple identities. ;)

The link above gave me a very pretty blue and white screen to look at. This link took me to some interesting pages - http://www.mossad.gov.il/Eng/AboutUs.aspx

So tempted to apply for a job with them . . .

You know, writers would make the PERFECT spies. We are always asking questions (for research). We sit in coffeeshops and other public locations for hours on end. We are enigmatic by definition. They'd be nuts not to hire us! :)