'Mossad head threatened to quit over Prisoner X'

Pardo reportedly mulled resignation after credibility questioned after a secret inquiry into the death of Ben Zygier.

By BEN CASPIT
Ben Zygier 370 (photo credit: Courtesy ABC)
Ben Zygier 370
(photo credit: Courtesy ABC)
Mossad head Tamir Pardo threatened to resign after a secret inquiry into the death of Ben Zygier, the former Mossad operative known as “Prisoner X,” questioned Pardo's credibility and the credibility of the information he gave officials on the affair, Sof Hashavua magazine found.
It appears that at this point, the threat of Pardo's immediate resignation has been lifted, but the story is still far from over.
Zygier ended his life on December 15, 2010, in an isolated cell in Ayalon Prison. According to foreign sources, Zygier was a Mossad operative that was arrested after unintentionally exposing a Hezbollah informant for Israel.
A month and a half ago, a report made public by the Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court revealed new details on the investigation of Prisoner X's death, that revealed he was seen crying and distraught after receiving a message from his wife just hours before he killed himself.
Judge Daphne Blatman-Kadrai, who was in charge of the investigation, placed blame for Zygier’s death directly on the Prisons Service, saying it had caused his death by failing to carry out its responsibilities to ensure he did not cause himself harm.
Despite this, the attorney-general decided not to prosecute those who were in charge of Zygier at the Prisons Service.
The documents also revealed that during Zygier's imprisonment, social workers, doctors and psychiatrists all examined his mental state. He was examined by a psychiatrist at the end of November 2010, and she determined his mental state was bad, and that he was a danger to himself.
A week after that, a final psychiatric examination was done on Zygier, that found no change in his mental state.
The Mossad said in response, "the Mossad provides its supervising bodies with detailed and credible reports. At no point did the head of the Mossad consider resigning over this issue or any other issue."
The original of this article appeared in Hebrew in Sof Hashavua magazine, published by The Jerusalem Post Group. Translated by JPost.com staff.