Guy Chen, a former Shin Bet official, has released a book called "Mukhabarat" (intelligence in Arabic) about the complex relationship Shin Bet agents have with Palestinian cooperators in Judea and Samaria. After completing a crowdfunding campaign to help publish his book, Chen spoke with the Israeli newspaper “Makor Rishon” and offered insight into what type of issues his book deals with.
"A terrorist arrived for a few hours, to say hello to his wife and child and stock up on money and food. We immediately arrived there with an IDF commando unit, and we met with them in the field to give a briefing on accelerated combat procedure. The force went out into the village, and in the meantime, I continued to question my cooperator."
The criminals who today lead serious #criminal operations in #Arab society are mostly collaborators with the Shin Bet (the #Israeli General Security Service)https://t.co/DJFM0TapuC
— Al-Estiklal English (@alestiklalen) September 16, 2022
He continued, "I asked him for the last time if he saw the wanted man, and he replied ‘yes’. When I asked how he saw him, he replied 'I looked out the window towards his house.' Then I ask: 'While you saw him, did he see you?'. When the answer to this question was also yes, I understood that making the arrest could be a death sentence for my guy, being the only person who knew the wanted person was at home.”
The criminals who today lead serious #criminal operations in #Arab society are mostly collaborators with the Shin Bet (the #Israeli General Security Service)https://t.co/DJFM0TapuC
— Al-Estiklal English (@alestiklalen) September 16, 2022
“This is a very difficult decision, which is not within my full authority. I contacted the force and asked them to stand aside for a moment. The commander in the field did not understand what went wrong with me after I was the one who pushed for quick and decisive action. There was a discussion and inclusion of various considerations, including the understanding that there would be another opportunity to stop this wanted person. Finally, it was decided to stop the entire operation."
The fateful and volatile relationships that are forged between the Shin Bet coordinator and his sources are at the center of many of the stories in Chen's new book. In his talk with the Israeli paper, he further described his personal view on the work of the Shin Bet coordinator and the sources he recruits from some of them terrorists who have crossed lines.
for anyone to reach the Shin Bet officer, but today the Shin Bet officer has a clear address, and this may prompt some citizens to communicate with the officer in exchange for money, or out of a
— Palestine News 24/7 (@PaliNewsBot) November 4, 2022
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"Initially you have to convince them to cooperate," Chen explains. "In the second stage, after the recruitment, you must train them and then activate them. The job of the coordinator is accompanied by constant risk, and you have to make sure that your sources are telling the truth, and build a relationship of trust with them."
IDF Spokesperson:
— Palestine News 24/7 (@PaliNewsBot) November 2, 2022
The army, the Shin Bet, and the Border Police arrested during the night 10 #Palestinians from all over the West Bank and seized weapons
With some of his sources, Chen forged a deep personal relationship, and they became family to him. This has a direct effect on the quality of the materials they provide him, and also on the price they are willing to pay for it. "Sometimes they go too far, to the point of risking their lives, and it is the Shen Bet who must protect them."
