Unit 8200
Unit 8200 is the signal intelligence and code deciphering arm of the Israel Defence Forces. It is the largest unit in the IDF and is headquartered at at Camp Glilot, north of Tel Aviv.[1]
In 2004 a Knesset committee recommended turning the unit into an autonomous entity separate from the Defense Ministry, along the lines of its US equivalent, the National Security Agency.[2]
Most important SIGINT base
Arguably the the units most important and powerful SIGINT base is located near the village of Urim in the Negev desertMap. This from Nicky Hagar:
Israel’s most important intelligence-gathering installation is only a 30km drive into the Negev desert from Beersheba prison – where those taking part in the Gaza aid flotilla were briefly detained this June. The base has rows of satellite dishes that covertly intercept phone calls, emails and other communications from the Middle East, Europe, Africa and Asia. Its antennas monitor shipping and would have spied on the aid ships in the days before they were seized.
The unit also has listening posts on the Occupied Syrian Golan Heights, but they are focused almost exclusively on Syrian, Lebanese and Iranian signals interception.
Tech sector alumni
A Forbes article by Former Unit 8200 member Gil Kerbs, stated that "Israel's high-tech world is "flooded" with Unit alumni, as entrepreneurs and company founders or junior and senior executives.":
"Take Nice, Comverse and Check Point for example, three of the largest high-tech companies, which were all directly influenced by 8200 technology," says [former Unit 8200 commander Hanan] Gefen. "Check Point was founded by Unit alumni. Comverse's main product, the Logger, is based on the Unit's technology. Look at Metacafe, one of the hottest companies today. Eyal Herzog, one of the founders, is also an 8200 alumnus and he accumulated a huge amount of relevant experience in the Unit."[3]
People
Commanders
Notes
- ↑ Amos Harel, Mystery surrounds suicide of officer from elite intel unit, Haaretz, 5 June 2009.
- ↑ Amos Harel, Mystery surrounds suicide of officer from elite intel unit, Haaretz, 5 June 2009.
- ↑ Gil Kerbs, The Unit, Forbes, 8 February 2007.
