[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA:

One would think that news that sanctions by the foreign ministry union are
crippling the Mossad operations overseas would be the absolute top item in
the news today.

It isn't.

The Hebrew edition item includes considerably more details
www.haaretz.co.il/hasite/spages/1184820.html

including that they are not allowing the Mossad agents to receive material
via diplomatic pouch. As Ravid notes in the Hebrew edition, this means that
it is impossible to transfer material and equipment to Mossad agents
overseas without it being subject to inspection by the foreign country it is
coming into.

This development speaks volumes about the values of the leadership in the
Foreign Ministry union.

Again. This is a development that warrants front place in media coverage.

But it seems most are asleep.

And even those aware of it aren't giving it the headlines it warrants.]

Amid rising tensions, Foreign Ministry union refuses to make payments to
Mossad agents
By Barak Ravid Haaretz Published 00:41 16.08.10
www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/amid-rising-tensions-foreign-ministry-union-refuses-to-make-payments-to-mossad-agents-1.308230

The tense relations between the Foreign Ministry and the Mossad hit a new
low yesterday, when the ministry workers' union instructed Israeli embassies
and consulates worldwide to stop paying the expenses of Mossad employees.

The Foreign Ministry will no longer pay for family-related expenses such as
school enrollment for children of Mossad personnel. The ministry is also
considering halting payment of all wages to employees of the espionage
agency.

The unprecedented move is a response by ministry employees to the Mossad's
role in organizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Greece. Such
tasks are normally handled by the Foreign Ministry, whose workers were on
strike at the time.

The diplomats are still on strike, as part of their demand for increased
wages.

The ministry union transmitted a cable to all employees abroad yesterday,
instructing them to cut off all contact with Mossad officials. The cable
stated that ministry workers did not intend to harm Mossad employees who
serve in Israeli embassies abroad, because the ministry doesn't want to
hamper efforts by an agency committed to preserving national security.
"Nonetheless, their involvement in breaking the strike moved us to respond
in the way in which we responded," the cable read.

The cable described in detail which punitive measures to take against the
Mossad agents stationed in Israeli embassies. They include the withholding
of all payment for expenses (a Foreign Ministry administrative officer is
responsible for managing all financial affairs of those in the embassy,
including payment of wages and return of expenses ); a cessation of all
logistical assistance, including the issuance of visas, the arrangement of
visits by senior Mossad figures, and the provision of diplomatic passports
and a complete halt to all assistance in the area of room and board for
Mossad officials and their families.

Senior ministry officials said yesterday they were infuriated by the fact
that the Mossad helped break the diplomats' strike. The anger at the
espionage agency has reached the point that the ministry will only cooperate
with the Mossad in cases of life and death.

"We asked them a number of times to recant their intention to organize the
prime minister's visit to Greece and to break the strike but they did not
agree," said a senior Foreign Ministry official. "This was an explicit
instruction from [Mossad chief] Meir Dagan, and they belatedly understood
that they made a mistake. Now they can't save face."