“If a society crosses a certain line in its division and hatred, then it is a real possibility to see a phenomenon like a civil war.” Former Mossad chief Tamir Pardo

The most pressing threat to Israel is not Iran, but rather the increased polarization within Israeli society, former Mossad chief Tamir Pardo said in a rare public appearance since leaving office. Follow us on Twitter: @Intel_Today.

Tamir Pardo (born 1953) is the former Director of the Mossad, taking over the role from Meir Dagan on 1st January 2011. He was succeeded by Yossi Cohen on 5 January 2016.

Pardo said that:

“There is no outside existential threat to Israel, the only real existential threat is internal division.” RELATED POST: ISIS, Israel, and Spymasters: A Reality Check “Internal division can lead us to civil war – we are already on a path toward that. If a society crosses a certain line in its division and hatred, it is a real possibility to see a phenomenon like a civil war.” “Society at large bears responsibility to prevent these divisions, not just the leadership.”

During the event, Pardo criticized both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Defense Ministry. ( Pardo participated in Operation Entebbe during which his commanding officer Yonatan “Yoni” Netanyahu — the elder brother to current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — was killed.)

While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly hailed improved diplomatic relations with moderate Arab countries in the region, Pardo stated that:

“Without a diplomatic solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, we will never be able to achieve normalization with our Arab neighbors.”

The Defense Ministry has compared the deal between the six world powers and Iran to curb Tehran’s nuclear program with the 1938 Munich agreement that allowed Nazi Germany to annex portions of Czechoslovakia.

Pardo does not appear to agree.

“You can’t compare squash and grapes. What happened a century ago is different from what is occurring today. History does not repeat itself.”

Tamir Pardo on Balancing Liberty and Security

From the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum on May 3, 2016, “ISIS, Israel, and Spymasters: A Reality Check” featuring a conversation between Michael Morell, former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and Tamir Pardo, former Director of the Mossad. The event was moderated by Belfer Center Director Graham Allison.

“We have to preserve, I think, our democracy and be ready even to pay quite a high price for that. I think it’s better to suffer from their, let’s say, behavior, than to ruin our own society and the things that we believe in.”

REFERENCES

Ex Mossad chief: Israel’s biggest threat is potential civil war, not Iran — ARIEL WHITMAN, REUTERS