Tamir Pardo
| Tamir Pardo | |
|---|---|
| תמיר פרדו | |
 |
|
| 11th Director of the Mossad | |
|
In office January 1, 2011 – January 5, 2016 |
|
| Prime Minister | Benjamin Netanyahu |
| Preceded by | Meir Dagan |
| Succeeded by | Yossi Cohen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1953 Tel Aviv, Israel |
| Alma mater | Tel Aviv University |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 Israel |
| Service/branch | Israel Defense Forces |
| Years of service | 1971–present |
| Battles/wars | Operation Entebbe |
Tamir Pardo (Hebrew: תמיר פרדו; born 1953) is the former Director of the Mossad, taking over the role from Meir Dagan on January 1, 2011. The appointment was announced by Israeli prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on November 29, 2010.
Pardo was born in Tel Aviv to a family of Turkish and Serbian Jewish origins,(Sephardi Jews). At age 18, when he began his compulsory service in the Israel Defense Forces, he volunteered for the paratroopers. He graduated from an officers' course, and later served as a communication officer in the elite special forces unit Sayeret Matkal. He also served in the Shaldag Unit. He was a member of the unit under the command of Yonatan "Yoni" Netanyahu and participated in Operation Entebbe. Netanyahu, elder brother to current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was killed during the operation.
After completing his military service, Pardo joined the Mossad in 1980, and served in entry-level technical positions. He took part in several classified operations, and was awarded the Israel Security Prize three times. He rose through the ranks and eventually became head of the "Keshet" department, responsible for operations, including obtaining electronic intelligence through wiretaps and photographic methods. In 2005, he was in line for promotion to the organization's number 2 position, when another individual was given the job. Mossad Director-General Meir Dagan thereupon lent Pardo to the IDF, where he served as a senior advisor for operations to the Israeli General Staff. He served in this position during the 2006 Lebanon War. After Dagan fired his number 2, he invited Pardo to return to the Mossad and assume the role. Pardo did so in the belief that when Dagan retired, he would be offered the job. However, Dagan's term was extended and he didn't retire when expected. This led Pardo to leave the Mossad, whereupon he went into private business with Israeli Internet gambling entrepreneur Noam Lanir.
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