22 Facts About Efraim Halevy

Efraim Halevy is an Israeli intelligence expert and diplomat.

Efraim Halevy was the 9th director of the Mossad and the 3rd head of the Israeli National Security Council.

Efraim Halevy was born in London, United Kingdom to an established Orthodox Jewish family on 2 December 1934.

Efraim Halevy attended Ma'aleh, a religious high school in Jerusalem.

Efraim Halevy later graduated with commendation in law from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Efraim Halevy remained in the Mossad for the next 28 years, heading three different branches throughout.

Efraim Halevy had a working relationship with Hussein of Jordan which developed into a close personal friendship.

Efraim Halevy asked Aliza Magen-Halevy, the sitting deputy director, to stay on.

Efraim Halevy served as the envoy and confidant of five Prime Ministers: Yitzhak Shamir, Yitzhak Rabin, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ehud Barak and Ariel Sharon.

Efraim Halevy is the author of the book The role of the intelligence community in the age of strategic alternatives for Israel.

Efraim Halevy is known as a hard-headed pragmatist on issues involving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, willing to ruffle feathers on the right and the left, unlike many others in the intelligence establishment who are known to take more extreme ideological positions on these issues.

Efraim Halevy believes that Israel should take up Hamas's offer of a long-term truce and try negotiating, because the Islamic movement is respected by Palestinians and generally keeps its word, he said.

Efraim Halevy pointed to the cease-fire in attacks on Israel that Hamas declared two years ago and has largely honoured.

Efraim Halevy believes in an aggressive approach, but at the same time in recognising the moderate leaders of Hamas as a partner in the Palestinian government.

Efraim Halevy was interviewed about his book on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on 24 April 2006, and by guest host Brian Ross on the Charlie Rose Show.

Efraim Halevy has written extensively on Israel's relationship with the United States, generally taking a moderate, pragmatic view of the Washington-Jerusalem alliance.

In 2013, Efraim Halevy became chairman of the Shorashim program, a program that helps immigrants to Israel from the former Soviet Union verify their Jewish ancestry.

In December 2014 Efraim Halevy was interviewed by The Times of Israel.

Efraim Halevy claimed that Israel would never have peace unless Palestinians were treated with dignity as equals.

Efraim Halevy was critical of Benjamin Netanyahu and Naftali Bennett and their policies, especially regarding Jerusalem.

Efraim Halevy is an Advisory Editor at the British journal Fathom: For a deeper understanding of Israel and the region.

In 2023, Efraim Halevy advocated for a rapprochement with Iran followings news of Iran and Saudi Arabia re-establishing diplomatic relations.