The Green Prince,” Mosab Hassan Yousef Betrayed His Father and Passed Intel from the Highest Echelons of Hamas to Israel’S Internal Intelligence Agency for Years
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From Radical Muslim To Israeli Spy The- Moshe Holender Green Prince - Yitzchok Wagschal Code-named “The Green Prince,” Mosab Hassan Yousef betrayed his father and passed intel from the highest echelons of Hamas to Israel’s internal intelligence agency for years. Amazingly, he is still alive to tell his story. The True Interview As the eldest son of the influential sheikh who co-founded Hamas, Mosab Hassan Yousef seemed destined to follow in his father’s footsteps. Growing disillusioned with the terrorist organization’s ideology, which glorified death and taught that jihad was the only path to victory, he eventually agreed to work as a spy for Israel’s internal security agency, the Shin Bet. It was a decision that would not only change the course of his life, but save hundreds of innocent civilian lives. His Shin Bet handler, Gonen Ben-Yitzchak, met with Zman for an in-depth inter- view, including never-before-revealed details, and provided us with a unique firsthand account of Mosab’s riveting story—a story of trust, betrayal and the dark world of secret intelligence. 132 | ZMAN • December 2015 ZMAN • Kislev 5776 | 133 hin Bet Captain Loai had just received Ten minutes later he called Loai back and he thought as they rumbled down the road an intelligence report about a terror- told him, “The guy is staying in room 120.” toward a safe house in Yerushalayim. Some Sist who was going to set off a bomb in One hour later, a Special Forces unit popular music was playing from the van’s Yerushalayim. The only information was that rushed into the hotel and made the arrest.... speakers, and Mosab found himself tapping he was around 18 to 21 years old, he was along with the beat. Then one of the guards wearing a red shirt and he was going from in the front seat switched off the radio. Nablus (Shechem) to Ramallah. Loai, as Shin Captain Loai maneuvered down the “Aw man, you just killed it!” Mosab Bet supervisor of the Ramallah area, was isolated country road in• his plain, inconspicu- exclaimed, pointing with his thumb and supposed to intercept him. ous white car. It was a clear day, and the hot But he had nothing to go on! Mediterranean sun beat down on him through motion as if he was shooting a gun at it. The Loai knew there was only one person who the windshield as he scanned the side of the forefinger toward the radio and making a might possibly be able to help—the “Green roadway, looking for the meeting point. “Why did you do that?” he asked the Prince.” As the Shin Bet’s most valuable mole, It was perhaps dangerous for an Israeli to Greenofficer Prince.glared at him. The “Green Prince”—Mosab Hassan Yousef, be traveling solo on a lonely road near Ramal- son of one of the founders of Hamas. “Do what?” asked Mosab, bewildered. that Loai could not. He called immediately and lah. This was in mid-2002, when the second gavethere the was young a chance man he the could information. find out something intifada raged. Almost daily, terrorists with spy. As long as everything went well, Loai Mosab was incredulous. The guard was “We don’t even have his name,” Loai said. bombs strapped under their clothes were wouldn’t be scrutinized too closely. If the bristling“Do that over with a casual your finger!”hand motion?! “He’s coming to Ramallah to speak with walking into crowds and leaving trails of “I was just expressing that you killed the his Hamas handler, get the bomb and go to blood in their wake. the end of his career. song!” he replied sourly. Jerusalem.” Exposed and vulnerable in the heart of a planSuspicion backfired, that though, he wasit would walking certainly into bea “Don’t do that again,” the guard said heavily Arab area, Loai suppressed any natu- trap and that Mosab was a triple agent for sternly. said. “Let me think about what to do.” ral nervousness. After all, danger was his job. Hamas didn’t even register with Loai. He had The Green Prince knew how valuable he Five“Give minutes me five later, minutes,” he called the Loai.Green “I’ve Prince left The man he was scheduled to meet on the worked with Mosab for too long to believe was to the Shin Bet. After all he had done for my house and I’m on my way to Ramallah. side of the road was one of the most danger- that. If Mosab wanted to betray the Shin Bet, them, why were they still suspicious of him? Let’s see what’s going on.” Then he called back ous and best-connected Arab operatives in he had had countless opportunities. By now, 15 minutes later and said, “I see the guy.” the West Bank—a young man named Mosab Loai trusted him. The trick was showing turned into a shouting match. He was livid. “Come on, my friend,” Loai said in disbe- Hassan Yousef. He was the oldest and most Mosab that. He Loai,started Mosab’s arguing handler, with the had officer, been and told it lief, “so fast? No way.” trusted son of Sheikh Hassan Yousef, the about this incident, as well as similar ones. “Have I ever been wrong?” He knew that the Green Prince’s patience Loai asked him to explain. He said, “I went and co-founder of Hamas, who had been Code-named “the Green Prince” by the with these extreme security measures was to the taxi station near Nablus Square where onecharismatic of the architects and influential of the intifada spiritual and leader who • wearing thin. He realized that he could people get out of cabs coming from Nablus. regularly gave praise and encouragement to Hamas, and “prince” due to his status), Mosab And I see a young guy in a red shirt get out terrorist bombers. hadShin alreadyBet (“green” been forworking the emerald with Israel’sflag of of a taxi, but he seems like he doesn’t know As much as Mosab was violating the rules shadowy internal security agency for several where to go; he’s not familiar with Ramallah; of his culture in the most extreme way by years. As the anointed son of Hamas’ most he’s waiting, pacing back and forth, using a agreeing to meet with a Shin Bet man, Loai beloved cleric, the Green Prince was privy to phone and so on.” was also breaking the rules. According to the terror group’s most closely held secrets. It sounded good, but Loai wasn’t He had constantly proven himself trustwor- convinced. He told the Green Prince to watch to meet with a “source” alone, sans armed thy. His information had helped the Shin Bet him and be careful. After a short time, a car bodyguards.official protocol, Deep an down, agent though,was never Loai allowed felt he thwart mass bombings and assassination pulled up next to the man. The suspect got couldn’t be effective gathering intelligence attempts, and arrest terrorist masterminds. into the car and the Shin Bet spy followed him without using innovative methods, even By betraying his father’s trust, Mosab had in his own vehicle. The Israelis had drones in though they might hold great risk, and to him put his life on the line. Yet, even so, he felt that the air to watch the car so they could tell him that meant not always sticking to protocol. the Israelis still didn’t really trust him—and where to go. After a while, the Green Prince Mosab Hassan Yousef was probably the that was enormously insulting. saw the man in the red shirt and the car’s single most important mole ever recruited— On one recent occasion he had been driver go into a hotel. Loai told the Green and he had to be handled very carefully. Loai traveling in an unmarked Shin Bet vehicle to Prince not to go inside. knew that in breaking the rules he was risking a meeting with his handler. A dozen armed “Don’t worry, I know my job,” he respond- his job, but not meeting him now might cost guards had been dispatched to escort him. the Shin Bet the loyalty of this all-important Why can’t I just walk into the meeting by myself? Ramallah’s busy city center. ed as he walked confidently into the hotel. 134 | ZMAN • December 2015 ZMAN • Kislev 5776 | 135.