The Israel-Palestine conflict has been marked by numerous controversial tactics, one of the most notorious being the 'Hannibal Directive,' which allows for the use of excessive force to prevent the capture of Israeli soldiers, even if it endangers hostages. Another controversial tactic was the 1978 assassination of Palestinian leader Wadie Haddad by Mossad agents using poisoned toothpaste.
Wadie Haddad, head of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), was implicated in several high-profile attacks, including the 1976 hijacking of Air France Flight 139, known as the Entebbe Hijacking. The plane, diverted from Tel Aviv to Paris, was then taken to Libya and Uganda. Israel’s response, Operation Thunderbolt, was a successful rescue mission led by Lt Col Yonatan Netanyahu, who tragically lost his life in the operation.
Mossad’s Mission
In the wake of the Entebbe Hijacking, Mossad, Israel's intelligence agency, sought revenge against Haddad, who became a top priority on their Kill List. Rather than opting for a high-profile execution, Mossad chose a discreet method to avoid international scrutiny. They assigned the operation to 'Agent Sadness,' who had access to Haddad's personal spaces.
The Execution
On January 10, 1978, Agent Sadness replaced Haddad’s regular toothpaste with a specially prepared toxic version. The toxin, developed by the Israel Institute for Biological Research, was designed to enter Haddad’s bloodstream through his mucous membranes, delivering a gradual and fatal dose.
Haddad’s Illness
Haddad fell severely ill in mid-January while in Baghdad, experiencing severe abdominal spasms, loss of appetite, and rapid weight loss. Despite treatment by top Iraqi doctors, his condition deteriorated. The initial diagnosis was hepatitis, later followed by a severe cold. His worsening symptoms, including hair loss, raised suspicions of poisoning. As his health continued to decline, Yasser Arafat, leader of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, sought help from the East German Secret Service, the Stasi.
Intervention by the Stasi
The Stasi airlifted Haddad to East Berlin on March 19, 1978, where he was admitted to a secret hospital under the alias 'Ahmed Doukli.' Despite extensive testing, the doctors could not determine the cause of his illness. Suspicions of rat poison or thallium were raised, but no conclusive evidence was found.
Haddad’s condition worsened, resulting in severe hemorrhaging and a dangerously low platelet count. He endured ten days of agony before dying on March 29, 1978. Professor Otto Prokop’s autopsy revealed brain bleeding and pneumonia caused by panmyelopathy, but the precise cause of the poisoning remained uncertain for many years.
Revelations and Legacy
The true nature of Haddad’s assassination remained hidden for decades. Aaron J Klein’s book "Striking Back" attributed his death to poisoned chocolates, while Ronan Bergman’s "Rise and Kill First" provided a detailed account of the toothpaste assassination. Bergman’s book describes the operation as a 'low-signature assassination,' a method so discreet that it took nearly three decades for its details to become public.
In an interview with the Times of Israel, Bergman explained, "The Stasi sent reports to Iraqi intelligence, telling them, 'You should look at your scientists, and their toothpaste,' because they suspected that the toothpaste had been poisoned." This led Iraqi intelligence to mandate that their scientists carry their toothpaste with them whenever they traveled, as a precaution.
The Mossad’s actions reflect Israel’s guiding principle from the Babylonian Talmud: "If someone comes to kill you, rise up and kill them first." This philosophy continues to influence Israeli operations, including recent efforts against Hamas leaders.
