____________________________________________ 3 IICC Perspectives Intelligence relations with the British In addition to interviews with Jewish residents and officials in Palestine, such as police officers and civil servants in the Mandate government, the ties with British security agencies were strengthened with police, army, intelligence officers, and the like. In light of the British need for good maps, the Political Department provided them with Arabic-speaking (Jewish) guides. It also passed intelligence materials mainly regarding attack plans and translations of documents captured from Arab militant groups (Known as "gangs”). The network of Arab sources that provided regular information was also expanded, and the Arab Bureau, headed by Abraham Haim Cohen, held three daily gathering & analysis sessions. They channeled insights garnered this way to Reuven Shiloah, who by then became a liaison with British Intelligence. He provided the British with synthesized materials, including some based on clandestine listening camouflaged as emanating from less sensitive sources. All the while and in the midst of the Arab Revolt, the Political Department expanded its activities vis-à-vis the neighboring countries: in June 1936, Chaim Weizmann met in London with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Said, who aspired to mediate between the Palestinians and the Yishuv, and in July 1936, the Jewish Agency's delegation to Damascus, headed by Eilat, Dov Hoz and David Hacohen, met with the Syrian National Bloc (headed by Christian-Syrian politician Anton Sa'ada) with whom Eilat had established contact while still in Beirut. However, the Arab side insisted on stopping aliyah (Jewish immigration to Palestine). The agency could not meet this pre-condition, and the talks failed. Other contacts also yielded no results. In conclusion, throughout the 1930s, tactical intelligence gathering within British-ruled Palestine, especially by the Shai, which detected offensive intentions against the Jewish population. When the Arab Revolt broke out, the Political Department strengthened communication lines with Jewish settlements and provided legal assistance to Jewish victims of Arab attacks. The Shai were also asked to identify moderate political trends or rivals to the Mufti's extremist leadership, in order to nurture them. The Agency continued to contact Arab leaders, mainly in Lebanon and Transjordan, as well as in Egypt, Syria, and even Iraq. The Arab Revolt against the British and resumed violence against Jews strengthened the cooperation with the British, especially in areas better acquainted to the Jews, and with the encouragement of the political department. At the same time, the HUMINT and SIGINT capabilities for covering British communication were also improved. The Second World War 1939-1945 Even before the war, Colonel Kisch began to promote ties with the British forces, and, with the help of Jewish volunteers, worked to host British troops and provide them with tours, mainly to Christian sites. During the war, the Jewish civilian population mobilized to support the British forces in Palestine. In the larger cities, social events were held with British soldiers,
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