Aliza Magen, a former senior official in the Mossad intelligence agency and one of the highest-ranking women in the history of Israel's intelligence community, died Monday at the age of 88. Born in Jerusalem, Magen served as deputy director of the Mossad under three different directors during a career that spanned nearly four decades.
Magen was involved in numerous significant intelligence operations, including Operation Diamond, which brought an Iraqi MiG-21 fighter jet to Israel; Operation Wrath of God, in response to the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre; and efforts to thwart German scientists working for Egypt in the 1960s.
In a statement mourning her passing, the Mossad said, "The Mossad family bows its head in deep sorrow over the loss of our comrade Aliza – a respected, trailblazing and dedicated commander who devoted her life to the security of Israel and its citizens. Aliza was one of the pillars of the Mossad, and she left a profound mark on generations of agency personnel, who were trained according to her legacy and values."
Magen joined the Mossad in her early twenties, in the early 1960s, and steadily rose through the ranks to hold senior command positions. She served as head of a station in Europe, head of the Human Resources Division, and head of the Operations Coordination Division. Her final role was deputy director of the Mossad, serving under Shabtai Shavit, Efraim Halevy and Danny Yatom, until her retirement in 1999.
Magen, whose parents were German immigrants who came to Mandatory Palestine in the 1930s, was married to the late Avraham Magen, who passed away in 2011. The couple had no children.
