Arab revolts, cable leaks point to close Mossad links to Arab dictatorships

For good reason, many Israeli leaders looked with trepidation on the popular revolts throughout the Arab world that have seen Tunisia's and Egypt's dictators ousted and are forcing other regimes against the wall. It has emerged in the aftermath of the popular uprisings and from a few leaked US State Department cables that Israel's Mossad has enjoyed a close relationship with the top leaders, including the intelligence chiefs, of the former regimes of Tunisia and Egypt, as well as the monarchy in Bahrain.

According to North African press reports, the former personal bodyguard for ousted Tunisian President Zin El Abedin Ben Ali claims that Ben Ali and former first lady, Laila el Trabolsi, are fervent supporters of Israel and that Trabolsi was a Mossad agent who helped Israeli intelligence assassinate a number of Palestinian leaders exiled in Tunisia. The former bodyguard, Abdel Rahman Sobeir, made the revelations on Facebook.

After the ouster of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, it was announced that his number two, former head of the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate Omar Suleiman, had a close relationship with Mossad. Suleiman even enjoyed open door access into Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's office in Jerusalem. The revelations about Suleiman partly came from leaked State Department cables. Suleiman is now under investigation by Egypt's transitional military government. Suleiman, whoi assisted the CIA in its kidnapping and torture program, was so infamous as a torturer, he was called "Sheikh al Torture" by Egyptians.

Leaked State Department cables also confirmed that a close link exists between Mossad and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and his intelligence service. Another leaked cable pointed to Israel's close covert links to Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.The United States has been supportive of the bloody crackdown by the Gulf states against domestic opposition forces, particularly by Bahrain and Oman.
Mossad's links to Saudi intelligence are also known to be close, with the two intelligence services sharing common goals vis a vis Iran, Lebanese Hezbollah, pro-Iranian elements in Hamas, and Syria. As opposition to the Saudi regime has grown, more information has been leaked out about the long-time Saudi-Israeli intelligence and security links. The Saudis sent troops to Bahrain to help its pro-Israeli king out down an opposition uprising.
WMR has previously reported on Mossad's close ties with the Moroccan government and its intelligence services and the fact that a series of U.S. ambassadors to Rabat have also been strong supporters of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Anti-government demonstrations have also taken place throughout Morocco.

Former Israeli National Security Council chairman Uzi Arad, a one-time top Mossad agent at the Israeli embassy in Washington, was also known to have maintained close contacts with Jordanian intelligence during hnis 20-year career as a Mossad officer. Arad also maintained close ties to Egyptian intelligence during Mubarak's rule.

Lebanese military intelligence has rounded up scores of Mossad agents in Lebanon. The agents had penetrated Lebanon's military, intelligence, and telecommunications companies. Mossad also reportedly has in place a number of agents among top Syrian opposition groups. Mossad agents have also operated in force in Iraqi Kurdistan and are known to have links to top Kurdistan Regional Government officials. Iraqi Kurdistan has also been the scene of a number of anti-government demonstrations and riots.

The Israeli securtiy firm Global CST, considered to be a virtual private arm of Mossad, has reportedly been active in Libya, Algeria, and Sudan's Darfur province.