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| Meir Dagan, Israeli Spy Chief Who Took Aim at Iran, Dies at 71 | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| JERUSALEM — Meir Dagan, who was widely credited with setting back Iran’s nuclear program through covert and daring operations as the director of the Mossad intelligence agency from 2002 to 2011, died on Thursday. He was 71. | JERUSALEM — Meir Dagan, who was widely credited with setting back Iran’s nuclear program through covert and daring operations as the director of the Mossad intelligence agency from 2002 to 2011, died on Thursday. He was 71. |
| The Mossad announced his death, and a spokeswoman for the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center said that Mr. Dagan had died there of liver cancer. Mr. Dagan underwent a liver transplant in Belarus in 2012, but he faced complications after returning to Israel. | The Mossad announced his death, and a spokeswoman for the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center said that Mr. Dagan had died there of liver cancer. Mr. Dagan underwent a liver transplant in Belarus in 2012, but he faced complications after returning to Israel. |
| Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, in praising Mr. Dagan, referred to a well-known and chilling photograph in which Mr. Dagan’s grandfather was pictured, kneeling and humiliated before Nazi soldiers shortly before he was killed in the Holocaust. | Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, in praising Mr. Dagan, referred to a well-known and chilling photograph in which Mr. Dagan’s grandfather was pictured, kneeling and humiliated before Nazi soldiers shortly before he was killed in the Holocaust. |
| “Meir was determined to ensure that the Jewish people would never be helpless and defenseless again,” Mr. Netanyahu said, “and to this end he dedicated his life to building up the strength of the state of Israel.” | “Meir was determined to ensure that the Jewish people would never be helpless and defenseless again,” Mr. Netanyahu said, “and to this end he dedicated his life to building up the strength of the state of Israel.” |
| Soon after he retired as Mossad chief, Mr. Dagan publicly criticized Mr. Netanyahu and his defense minister, Ehud Barak, and their policy of preparing for a military option against Iran’s nuclear program, telling an audience at a conference in Jerusalem that a strike on Iran’s nuclear installations would be “a stupid idea.” | Soon after he retired as Mossad chief, Mr. Dagan publicly criticized Mr. Netanyahu and his defense minister, Ehud Barak, and their policy of preparing for a military option against Iran’s nuclear program, telling an audience at a conference in Jerusalem that a strike on Iran’s nuclear installations would be “a stupid idea.” |
| Mr. Dagan argued that military action might not achieve all its goals and that it could lead to a regional war. His criticism became more personal in a statement to journalists after the military chief of staff, Gabi Ashkenazi, and the director of the Shin Bet internal security agency, Yuval Diskin, also left their offices. | Mr. Dagan argued that military action might not achieve all its goals and that it could lead to a regional war. His criticism became more personal in a statement to journalists after the military chief of staff, Gabi Ashkenazi, and the director of the Shin Bet internal security agency, Yuval Diskin, also left their offices. |
| “I decided to speak out because when I was in office, Diskin, Ashkenazi and I could block any dangerous adventure,” Mr. Dagan was quoted as saying. “Now I am afraid that there is no one to stop Bibi and Barak,” he added, using Mr. Netanyahu’s nickname. | “I decided to speak out because when I was in office, Diskin, Ashkenazi and I could block any dangerous adventure,” Mr. Dagan was quoted as saying. “Now I am afraid that there is no one to stop Bibi and Barak,” he added, using Mr. Netanyahu’s nickname. |
| While in office, Mr. Dagan oversaw a number of reported operations that were hailed as great successes in Israel. Among them was the assassination of Iranian scientists and computer sabotage that weakened Iran’s nuclear program, amid concerns that Tehran was trying to build a nuclear weapon. | While in office, Mr. Dagan oversaw a number of reported operations that were hailed as great successes in Israel. Among them was the assassination of Iranian scientists and computer sabotage that weakened Iran’s nuclear program, amid concerns that Tehran was trying to build a nuclear weapon. |
| Ultimately, Israel did not use its military option. And last summer, the world powers reached a deal with Iran to curb its nuclear program, which Israeli leaders consider a potentially existential threat to their country. | Ultimately, Israel did not use its military option. And last summer, the world powers reached a deal with Iran to curb its nuclear program, which Israeli leaders consider a potentially existential threat to their country. |
| Mr. Dagan also criticized Israel’s political leaders for failing to seriously pursue a peace initiative with the Palestinians. | Mr. Dagan also criticized Israel’s political leaders for failing to seriously pursue a peace initiative with the Palestinians. |
| Last year, shortly before the general elections that returned Mr. Netanyahu to a third consecutive term in office, Mr. Dagan again lashed out against him. | Last year, shortly before the general elections that returned Mr. Netanyahu to a third consecutive term in office, Mr. Dagan again lashed out against him. |
| “How did it happen that the country, stronger by far than all the countries in the region, is incapable of carrying out a strategic move that will improve our situation,” he said at a rally calling for political change. “The answer is simple: We have a leader who is fighting one campaign only, the campaign for his political survival.” | “How did it happen that the country, stronger by far than all the countries in the region, is incapable of carrying out a strategic move that will improve our situation,” he said at a rally calling for political change. “The answer is simple: We have a leader who is fighting one campaign only, the campaign for his political survival.” |
| Born Meir Hubermann in 1945 in Kherson in what is now Ukraine, Mr. Dagan was the son of Holocaust survivors. He immigrated to Israel with his family in 1950, two years after the state was founded, and enlisted in the Israeli military in 1963, where he served in the paratrooper brigade and fought as a company commander in the Arab-Israeli War of 1967. | Born Meir Hubermann in 1945 in Kherson in what is now Ukraine, Mr. Dagan was the son of Holocaust survivors. He immigrated to Israel with his family in 1950, two years after the state was founded, and enlisted in the Israeli military in 1963, where he served in the paratrooper brigade and fought as a company commander in the Arab-Israeli War of 1967. |
| Rising through the ranks, he was tasked by Ariel Sharon, the general who became prime minister of Israel, to establish a special unit to combat militancy in the Gaza Strip in the 1970s, and he was later appointed commander of the South Lebanon region. He retired from the military in 1995 with the rank of major general. | Rising through the ranks, he was tasked by Ariel Sharon, the general who became prime minister of Israel, to establish a special unit to combat militancy in the Gaza Strip in the 1970s, and he was later appointed commander of the South Lebanon region. He retired from the military in 1995 with the rank of major general. |
| Mr. Dagan then joined Israel’s counterterrorism bureau under Prime Minister Shimon Peres and was later appointed head of the bureau. In the late 1990s, he returned to the military, where he joined the general staff and served as a special adviser to the chief of staff. | Mr. Dagan then joined Israel’s counterterrorism bureau under Prime Minister Shimon Peres and was later appointed head of the bureau. In the late 1990s, he returned to the military, where he joined the general staff and served as a special adviser to the chief of staff. |
| It was Mr. Sharon who appointed Mr. Dagan to lead the Mossad, where he served as director under three prime ministers: Mr. Sharon, Ehud Olmert and Mr. Netanyahu. | It was Mr. Sharon who appointed Mr. Dagan to lead the Mossad, where he served as director under three prime ministers: Mr. Sharon, Ehud Olmert and Mr. Netanyahu. |
| Yaakov Perry, a lawmaker and former chief of Shin Bet, described Mr. Dagan as “one of the builders of the foundations of the theories of the war against terrorism, of special operations in the military and within the intelligence community.” | Yaakov Perry, a lawmaker and former chief of Shin Bet, described Mr. Dagan as “one of the builders of the foundations of the theories of the war against terrorism, of special operations in the military and within the intelligence community.” |
| Mr. Perry told Israel Radio that Mr. Dagan was “a unique character” who combined courage, creativity and sensitivity, who led operations as a tough commander, and who painted and listened to music. | Mr. Perry told Israel Radio that Mr. Dagan was “a unique character” who combined courage, creativity and sensitivity, who led operations as a tough commander, and who painted and listened to music. |
| Marking Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day in April 2010, the popular Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot printed the photograph of Mr. Dagan’s grandfather on its front cover. | Marking Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day in April 2010, the popular Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot printed the photograph of Mr. Dagan’s grandfather on its front cover. |
| “Look at this photograph,” the newspaper said Mr. Dagan told visitors to his office. “Look at the man kneeling before Nazi soldiers. That is my grandfather, before he was murdered.” | “Look at this photograph,” the newspaper said Mr. Dagan told visitors to his office. “Look at the man kneeling before Nazi soldiers. That is my grandfather, before he was murdered.” |
| He added, “I see that picture every day, and I promise that such a thing will never happen again.” | He added, “I see that picture every day, and I promise that such a thing will never happen again.” |