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IDF soldiers during the Six-Day War in Jerusalem (Yossi Shemi)
Last update - 08:51 30/05/2008
Britain looked to Israel for lessons in military deception
By The Associated Press
Tags: Israel, Egypt, war, Britain

LONDON - When British military leaders set up a special task force in 1969to study how best to use deception to achieve their battlefield aims, they focused on tactics used by the Israelis.

Formerly classified documents released Friday by the National Archives show that many officers felt the Americans, in contrast, did not have a knack for deceiving the enemy. Americans were judged to be so open and friendly that they lacked cunning.

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he so-called Defense Deception Advisory Group studied the way Israel's military and political leaders used a complex series of intertwined deceptions to fool their Arab enemies about the Jewish state's intentions and its military capabilities.

The British found, for example, that the Israelis confused their adversaries by deploying fake soldiers - mannequins in battle dress were used - near a border crossing to make their enemies think an attack was coming, forcing them to deploy troops to defend the area.

"The British [were] impressed to see how those techniques could be used in a modern era," said Mark Dunton, contemporary history specialist at the National Archives.

The three-year study was prompted by fear that Britain's vaunted ability to deceive enemies in battle was fading because of the long period of relative peace that followed World War II. Its template was the Six-Day War in 1967.

After Egypt blocked the strategic Straits of Tiran and expelled UN forces from the Sinai Desert, Israel launched a preemptive strike on June 5, 1967 that destroyed Egypt's air force on the ground. In the ensuing six days of fighting, Israeli forces captured the West Bank, Golan Heights, Gaza Strip and Sinai from Jordan, Syria and Egypt.

The documents state that Israel implemented a sophisticated, preplanned deception strategy that included statements made by its political leaders and top diplomats during the tense prewar period. This included the well-known decision to send many Israeli soldiers on their regular weekend home leave to convince the enemy to lower its guard just before hostilities began.

An April 10, 1972, document credits the Israelis with using a variety of strategies to confuse and demoralize their enemies, including:

b Maintaining strict secrecy about modern bombs in their arsenal, leading Arab nations to believe Israel had only World War II-era bombs, and misleading the enemy about new systems that allowed Israel to service its bombers in just 7.5 minutes so they could resume attacks.

b Having Arabic-speaking Israeli agents take part in Egyptian military radio communications, giving them vital information about Egypt's military plans.

b Delaying information about the capture of key Arab towns, thus luring Arab patrols into devastating ambushes.

b Using Israelis who spoke Arabic with an Egyptian accent to man the control tower at a captured airfield so that Egyptian military pilots would land their planes and be captured.

b Using small deployments of tanks and torpedo boats to coax the enemy into defending borders where no real attack was planned.

The deployment of the dummy military units seemed to captivate the British: Typically deadpan officers used a rare exclamation point to describe the tactic.

Uri Bar-Joseph, a security and intelligence specialist at the University of Haifa, said this tactic led the Egyptian army to send units to the south when Israel planned to attack in the north.


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      1.   That Sort Of Thing Had It`s Limits Ofcourse 06:05  |  Yosemite 30/05/08
      2.   Finally Isreal admitting it started the 1967 war 06:14  |  pal- 30/05/08
      3.   Looking to Israel to learn the art of deception? 06:20  |  Che Vive 30/05/08
      4.   Now we all have to learn from Hezbo and the Palestinians 06:39  |  Dan 30/05/08
      5.   See how tricky those Israelis are? 06:50  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 30/05/08
      6.   No pal, you and your friends started it and got busted (like in 1 07:10  |  Dan 30/05/08
      7.   # 4 - Dan 07:34  |  Ahmed 30/05/08
      8.   pal-: difference between pre-emption and starting war 07:35  |  Adam 30/05/08
      9.   Worth noting 07:47  |  Colin Wright 30/05/08
      10.   #2 Pal - Israel just took precautions. What really happened 07:58  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 30/05/08
      11.   If Israel has become so americanized? 08:05  |  Dror 30/05/08
      12.   That was then 08:06  |  Joshua 30/05/08
      13.   Wrong Pal-agressor is the side that makes conflict inevitable. 08:30  |  Stephen in New York 30/05/08
      14.   Ahmed 08:41  |  Yosemite 30/05/08
      15.   the British must change now and adapt Hez Allah tech 09:03  |  Imad 30/05/08
      16.   Actually, Colin, They did. 09:06  |  Awake 30/05/08
      17.   To # 9 Margie: you never going to learn 09:09  |  pal- 30/05/08
      18.   Ah, the benefits of antisemitism... 09:38  |  Esther 30/05/08
      19.   Pal- # 2. 09:46  |  David Nigel Braham 30/05/08
      20.   Olmert is one of the manaquind we forgot to pick up 09:50  |  Dan 30/05/08
      21.   #6 Astonishing, Dan! 10:02  |  Johnboy 30/05/08
      22.   talk of war amongst abrahams children 10:38  |  observer 30/05/08
      23.   Pal #17 Lying am I? look up the headlines yourself. 10:49  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 30/05/08
      24.   the israeli military has the most marvellous people 11:05  |  giora 30/05/08
      25.   it is not at all surprising 11:06  |  giora 30/05/08
      26.   A RARE GLIMPSE, my hunch is right 11:07  |  VIPER 30/05/08
      27.   Brit`s dont need to learn deception, they are masters. 11:14  |  Harvey (Chaim) 30/05/08
      28.   #8, ADAM and his propaganda, here`s some facts 11:18  |  VIPER 30/05/08
      29.   #23, MARG IN TEL-AVIV, it`s propaganda 11:25  |  VIPER 30/05/08
      30.   it is not deception, it is stupidity of Arab leadership 11:27  |  El-Birawi 30/05/08
      31.   LOOK AT ENTEBBE 11:48  |  Nicole 30/05/08
      32.   viper has a hunch 11:50  |  giora 30/05/08
      33.   viper did israel provoke the arab armies into attacking in 1948 11:55  |  amos 30/05/08
      34.   Viper headlines don`t lie. 12:11  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 30/05/08
      35.   More like self deception 12:25  |  David 30/05/08
      36.   #2 Pal, who started the -67 war? That´s the queston. 13:18  |  AliciaYasmeen 30/05/08
      37.   It is not clear to me why Israel should assist Britain when its 13:53  |  Abe 30/05/08
      38.   No more talkback for me 13:57  |  pal- 30/05/08
      39.   Trojan Horses 14:06  |  Ronnie Wolman 30/05/08
      40.   pal from cal 14:23  |  Tricia 30/05/08
      41.   Johnboy # 21 The Amazing Strait Of Tiran 14:58  |  Jeff Northridge 30/05/08
      42.   Pal # 2- Action / Reaction- Law of Physics 15:33  |  Avrum 30/05/08
      43.   Better look for help in political deception too 15:36  |  Tosefta 30/05/08
      44.   Experts..... 15:46  |  William 30/05/08
      45.   The hypocrite #26 strikes again 15:51  |  utagawa 30/05/08
      46.   The Straits of Tiran: UN-res 1&2 from Feb 1957 16:07  |  AliciaYasmeen 30/05/08
      47.   ronnie wolman yes but who won the war 16:25  |  keith joseph 30/05/08
      48.   i have to agree with whatshisname about sharon 16:29  |  giora 30/05/08
      49.   re viper Ocupyers carefull now mate 16:51  |  dinki di 30/05/08
      50.   TRY LESSONS FROM HIZBOUALLAH 16:53  |  Ali 30/05/08
      51.   Gen Peled 17:18  |  John 30/05/08
      52.   tactics like that were good for defending Israels borders not for 17:21  |  zionist forever 30/05/08
      53.   Give the Glory to G-d! He does not break promises! 17:30  |  Daisy 30/05/08
      54.   Israel helps the country whose academics boycott it. Strage! 17:54  |  Aviva 30/05/08
      55.   Israel and Deception 18:06  |  Mary 30/05/08
      56.   john which peled was that.we have a dozen general peleds 18:06  |  harzion 30/05/08
      57.   john "the brutality of the occupation" 18:09  |  harzion 30/05/08
      58.   GO LEARN YOUR LESSON OF 2006 WAR, POLITICALLY, MILITARILLY 18:41  |  indrajaya 30/05/08
      59.   Pity that the Brits don`t say how they applied what they learned 18:43  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 30/05/08
      60.   One thought on the small size idea, Zionist Forever 18:56  |  Jacob Blues 30/05/08
      61.   Keith Joseph: Caricature and Victor Mature 19:21  |  Ronnie Wolman 30/05/08
      62.   To Pal 19:25  |  Proud Jew 30/05/08
      63.   Iran , and other enemies , Are you listenning ? 19:30  |  TOMY 30/05/08
      64.   #2 PAL NO,SIR.ABSOLUTELY WRONG!! 19:43  |  Ian 30/05/08
      65.   To pal- & others false propagandists posters 19:46  |  RW 30/05/08
      66.   Margie in Tel Aviv - than U - very informative 19:49  |  Students 30/05/08
      67.   Israel`s military lesson 19:56  |  Cyasher 30/05/08
      68.   ronnie wolman i agree with you that the americans 20:19  |  keith joseph 30/05/08
      69.   pal- #38 good riddance 20:19  |  Gee 30/05/08
      70.   VIPER - you kid no one 28 20:45  |  ChanahS 30/05/08
      71.   Viper`s hunches 20:51  |  ChanahS 30/05/08
      72.   From the expert in Bsoton 55 20:56  |  ChanahS 30/05/08
      73.   From the expert in Bsoton 55 20:56  |  ChanahS 30/05/08
      74.   El Birawi - you too never miss an opportuniyty 21:02  |  ChanahS 30/05/08
      75.   Students #66 21:09  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 30/05/08
      76.   Israel assist Britain, yet British academic boycott Israel. How 21:29  |  Roger 30/05/08
      77.   If there`s one thing that Israelis are good at, it`s lying 21:38  |  peacelover 30/05/08
      78.   Keith Joseph: The Saddam Busters 21:40  |  Ronnie Wolman 30/05/08
      79.   Bravo Israel – you did it all by yourself 22:06  |  Proud of U 30/05/08
      80.   #13 22:34  |  Hizbullahi 30/05/08
      81.   I have boycotted some of you - why? 22:35  |  TRUTH 30/05/08
      82.   Proud of U 22:39  |  RW 30/05/08
      83.   stonehenge theory 22:41  |  montgomery rosen 30/05/08
      84.   76 peacelover (not) 22:49  |  ChanahS 30/05/08
      85.   Tossefta-the-Snake: No rules in love and war 22:58  |  Jewboy 30/05/08
      86.   British have always been vulnerable to deception 00:15  |  mehmet 31/05/08
      87.   Indrajaya in jakarta, U need help my dear 00:19  |  Massoud Levy 31/05/08
      88.   Hizbullahi 00:34  |  glial 31/05/08
      89.   Yes, and.... 01:38  |  Gray 31/05/08
      90.   #41 No blockade was imposed, Jeff. 05:21  |  Johnboy 31/05/08
      91.   #46 AliciaYasmeen quotes UN Resolutions! 05:44  |  Johnboy 31/05/08
      92.   Johnboy # 87 Really? (part 1) 06:19  |  Jeff Northridge 31/05/08
      93.   Stephen, Egypt did not do it. 06:48  |  Marilyn 31/05/08
      94.   USA doesn`t need or care about deception 07:00  |  jeff 31/05/08
      95.   Johnboy # 87 Really? (part 2) 07:31  |  Jeff Northridge 31/05/08
      96.   Johnboy # 89 You Got Me 08:12  |  Jeff Northridge 31/05/08
      97.   #91 So, came up empty, hey, Jeff.... 09:30  |  Johnboy 31/05/08
      98.   #94 Jeff loves to make up his Int`l Law 09:33  |  Johnboy 31/05/08
      99.   Marylin # 92 , no army in Egypt ? 10:08  |  bar 31/05/08
      100.   Marilyn 100% gibberish 10:24  |  Stephen in New York 31/05/08
      101.   Sharon:"Israel is Empire, built on Lies.Father of Lies! 13:09  |  Saul 31/05/08
      102.   #91 Johnboy: you´ve just proved the UN good for nothing 13:25  |  AliciaYasmeen 31/05/08
      103.   Any advice given to the Brits will be sold to the highest bidder 14:40  |  Geoff - Sydney 31/05/08
      104.   PAL #2 14:48  |  Mickey 31/05/08
      105.   #2 pal interpretation of facts 15:33  |  jo moor 31/05/08
      106.   The Arab Armies were poised to attack,tiny Israel. 15:49  |  Stephen. 31/05/08
      107.   Johnboy # 97 That Is Not Required 15:50  |  Jeff Northridge 31/05/08
      108.   British not learn from history 16:27  |  Lee 31/05/08
      109.   Johnboy # 98 That Is What Is In Contention 16:46  |  Jeff Northridge 31/05/08
      110.   The last Israeli deception 18:07  |  Tosefta 31/05/08
      111.   Very interesting article 20:08  |  KUTW 31/05/08
      112.   2.pal-: the war was declared by the Arabs 20:12  |  KUTW 31/05/08
      113.   Students @ 66 20:47  |  Roo 31/05/08
      114.   Nasser´s speech to the Egyptian National Assembly 21:19  |  AliciaYasmeen 31/05/08
      115.   #66 Students at #66 re margie at the fake olive branch 21:44  |  Labhras 31/05/08
      116.   Alicia Yasmeen # 112 In Addition 22:16  |  Jeff Northridge 31/05/08
      117.   tosefta 22:28  |  elazar 31/05/08
      118.   tosefta and nasrallah`s deception 22:33  |  elazar 31/05/08
      119.   #30 "Arab stupidity"......you know some one has to be stupid for 23:46  |  psi 31/05/08
      120.   #63 00:04  |  psi 01/06/08
      121.   Britain should accept that its empire is gone and stop deception 00:21  |  Fed up 01/06/08
      122.   elazar # 117 re: Tosefta 00:27  |  American in NY 01/06/08
      123.   People post here like this is a new concept 01:08  |  Mark B. 01/06/08
      124.   # 10 margie`s timeline 02:18  |  eric 01/06/08
      125.   Margie in Tel Aviv 02:30  |  Mona 01/06/08
      126.   American in NY vs. The Hydra/Elazar #122 03:09  |  Tosefta 01/06/08
      127.   #63 TOMY. Someone is listening. 03:49  |  Bathurst 01/06/08
      128.   #33. AMOS and his denial 04:09  |  VIPER 01/06/08
      129.   #34, MARGE doesn`t know what propaganda is 04:12  |  VIPER 01/06/08
      130.   #49, DINKI DI 04:15  |  VIPER 01/06/08
      131.   #70-71 CHANAHS, still with your propaganda? 04:22  |  VIPER 01/06/08
      132.   Some example the IDF were for anyone then too 04:39  |  Dutch 01/06/08
      133.   #102 Remember this, AliciaYasmeen 04:56  |  Johnboy 01/06/08
      134.   107 We are not talking "high seas", Jeff.... 05:07  |  Johnboy 01/06/08
      135.   #107 This bit makes me laugh, Jeff..... 05:10  |  Johnboy 01/06/08
      136.   The Arabs made you do it? 05:22  |  Denise 01/06/08
      137.   #109 Care to look at the name of that traty, Jeff? 05:23  |  Johnboy 01/06/08
      138.   # 2 Pal 05:23  |  Denise 01/06/08
      139.   #104 why? 05:25  |  Denise 01/06/08
      140.   #111 yes 05:27  |  Denise 01/06/08
      141.   #109 Jeff`s fact-free posts..... 05:34  |  Johnboy 01/06/08
      142.   #116 Jeff refuses to accept reality 05:41  |  Johnboy 01/06/08
      143.   And not only Britain 05:46  |  TOMY 01/06/08
      144.   Denise#138 07:18  |  Mickey 01/06/08
      145.   Mark B ever heard of Palywood 07:22  |  glial 01/06/08
      146.   Johnboy #140 07:23  |  Mickey 01/06/08
      147.   eric 07:24  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 01/06/08
      148.   Bathurst #126 09:59  |  Mickey 01/06/08
      149.   #146 Mickey comes late to the discussion 12:15  |  Johnboy 01/06/08
      150.   Tosefta # 126 20:20  |  American in NY 01/06/08
      151.   #126 Bathurst , There is nothing wrong to have 22:20  |  TOMY 01/06/08
      152.   TOMY with friends like thsi we will never lack for enemies 02:25  |  American in NY 02/06/08
      153.   #152 American , Your comparisons belong 04:39  |  TOMY 02/06/08
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