Israeli security forces

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

Security forces in Israel include a variety of organizations, including law enforcement, military, paramilitary, governmental, and intelligence agencies.

[edit] Military

Israeli Defence Forces: Israel's military forces, comprising the Army, Air Force and Navy.

Israel Police: a civilian force. As with most other police forces in the world, its duties include crime fighting, traffic control and maintaining public safety.

Border Police (Magav): the military branch (gendarmerie) of the Israeli Police.

Shabak (Israel Security Agency) Sherut HaBitahon HaKlali (Hebrew: שירות הבטחון הכללי‎, "General Security Agency"): the organization responsible for internal security, including in the Israeli-occupied territories

Mossad (The Institute) HaMosad LeModi'in ULeTafkidim Meyuhadim (Hebrew: המוסד למודיעין ולתפקידים מיוחדים‎, "The Institute for Intelligence and for Special Tasks"): the agency responsible for foreign intelligence.

Aman (Directorate of Military Intelligence) Agaf HaModi'in: Military intelligence, or Aman, produces comprehensive national intelligence estimates for the prime minister and cabinet, daily intelligence reports, risk of war estimates, target studies on nearby countries, and communications intercepts. Aman also conducts across-border agent operations. Aman is an independent service, co-equal with the army, navy and air force. Aman has an estimated staff of 7,000.^[1]

Magen David Adom (Red Shield of David): Magen David Adom (MDA) is made up of volunteer and professional medical responders and provides the Israel's pre-hospital emergency medical needs, including disaster, ambulance, and blood services.^[2]

Israel Fire and Rescue Services: They are responsible for extinguishing fires and extracting people trapped in structures (ranging from stuck elevators to collapsed buildings).

Home Front Command: part of the IDF. A military rescue team which handles large-scale civilian disasters such as earthquakes, collapsed buildings and missile attacks on cities.

ZAKA (Identification and Rescue - True Kindness): ZAKA is a non-governmental volunteer agency responsible for rescue, life saving and recovery. Members work alongside law enforcement and emergency personnel when responding to incidents of terrorism, accidents, or disasters. It is a humanitarian agency, mostly made up of Haredi Jews who assume the duty of collecting human remains to provide those remains a proper Jewish burial, known as Chesed Shel Emet, "True Virtue." ZAKA is an international organization, with offices in Israel and New York, and has dispatched volunteers to disasters throughout the world.^[3] The Israeli government recognizes ZAKA as part of the security apparatus, because volunteers are trained by the Israel Police and Magen David Adom.^[4]

Israel Prison Service: Sherut Batei ha-Sohar: The Israel Prison Service (IPS), sometimes called by its acronym SHABAS, is a security organization which is an integral part of Israel’s system of law enforcement. Its chief roles include the holding of prisoners and detainees under secure and suitable conditions, while preserving their dignity, and meeting their basic needs. The IPS coordinates with relevant national, regional and municipal authorities and organizations.^[5]
Knesset Guard: The Knesset has its own guard and usher unit, headed by the Sergeant-at-Arms. The Knesset Guard is in charge of security in the Knesset compound and building. The Serjeant-at-Arms ("Katzin ha-Knesset") is the commander of the Knesset Guard.^[6]