Yavi Aitan concluded his review and Eli Cohen asked if anyone had any other topics.
“Of course this is your prerogative, Mister Prime Minister,” said Schechter, his lead-in hinting at a controversial request, “but I strongly recommend that only General Fishel and Defense Minister Avner leave with this presentation.” Schechter held up his copy of the Esther presentation.
Cohen looked at Avner, the man whose opinion always mattered to him. Avner nodded. “Agreed,” the prime minister responded.
“How are we getting the money for this?” Schechter asked as suddenly as the thought entered his head.
“Danny is taking care of that,” responded Cohen, looking at the minister for industry, trade and labor.
Danny Stein cleared his throat. “Yes, I am dealing with the Ministry of Finance to fund the cost of Esther’s Sling and supporting black operations. I think I will have 1.1 billion shekels funded within the next few months, with the initial funding of 300 million shekels in the bank within two weeks. This is the money we will use for all of the black assets and operations for Block G.”
“Who will control the account?” asked Amit Margolis.
“I will,” Stein said. “We have already created the entity, which is a subsidiary of El Al.”
“Why an El Al sub?”
“Oh, sorry. The cover for the funds is that El Al is in need of new security equipment to meet a specific security threat that is classified. We need to fund it off the books to avoid the publicity and negative impact to their passenger traffic. I am the Managing Director of the new entity, which also has two El Al board members. But I will have complete control over the funds.”
“Okay,” said Amit. “But what about the two El Al board members? They don’t know anything about this, do they?”
Prime Minister Cohen responded. “No, Amit. They won’t ask any questions and you won’t have to worry about any Board meetings. Trust me.” Cohen was smiling. The two men from El Al were old friends of Eli Cohen and knew when they were being asked to do a favor for their nation.
“Everyone realizes that the cost of this operation, above and beyond the off-budget items that Minister Stein is handling, will be in the billions of shekels. Many billions.” The comment came from General Schechter. He paused for a moment to look around the conference table. “And that is assuming we don’t lose any of our aircraft. That is not realistic. Realistically, I estimate ten percent loses among our aircraft.”
“What about aircrews?” asked Zvi Avner.
“We have that covered in the plans you have. We have three ways to extricate downed crewmen. First, we will have two Super Stallion and four Blackhawks of the Flying Cats in Kuwait at Ali Al Salem Air Base.” Schechter was referring the IAF’s highly trained Airborne Rescue and Evacuation Unit 669, an elite unit established to save downed airmen in hostile territory.
“The Americans will allow that?” responded Avner.
“As is clear in the planning, we have assumed American knowledge and support for Block G, even though they will not know about Esther’s Sling. We need their support. Otherwise the risks in this plan are too great. They have to know when we go. We can’t cover the distance from here to there without their knowledge and we will need IFF codes on the way.”
Avner nodded in agreement and then a question occurred to him. “What if the Americans get angry in reaction to Esther’s Sling? What if they back out and retract their IFF codes?”
“We have discussed that as a group,” replied Schechter. “The best answer is in the timing of Esther’s Sling. By the time anyone figures out what it is we did, IAF strike units will have made it to their targets. At the time of the initial attacks, our strike aircraft will be over American controlled airspace and it will be too late for them to back out even if they fully understood Esther’s Sling. But the simple fact is that it will take them hours to figure out what we did in Esther’s Sling.”
Avner nodded as he thought through the scenario. “Yes, I see what you are saying. Amit, you agree with the theory, right?”
Margolis was fast with his response. “Yes, sir. Completely.”
Schechter continued. “The second way to retrieve downed crew will be having Flying Cat units in Azerbaijan. This also supports Operation Northwind, which we will talk about next.
“The third and perhaps the most probable route to success is the use of the Iranian network run by Mossad. We know from prior planning that Mossad has a network in Iran they are comfortable with. Many of the people in this underground railroad are Kurds and other oppressed minorities and most of the targets are in the right areas for these people. We still have to work out contact information and, of course, the crews who go down first have to escape and evade before they can attempt contact. Some crews will bail out over cities like Tehran. For them, capture is almost certain. So, Mister Prime Minister, we ask that you consider what you are willing to do for those men who are captured.”
“By ‘to do’ you mean what am I willing to trade?” Cohen asked.
“Yes, sir, that is what I mean.”
“A lot.” Cohen pondered the scenario for a moment. He had not previously thought about it. “The bastards will want money.” His mind ran off in a maze of possibilities.
“Not something we need an answer to now, sir,” Schechter said.
Cohen looked at his old friend, Defense Minister Avner. “Zvi, what do you think of the ten percent estimate?”
Avner cocked his head to the side. “We are going into well defended airspace that is a long way from home. The Persians will throw everything they have into the air while we are overhead. Ten percent is high, but possible. Just at the high end.”
“What is your guess then?” probed the prime minister.
“I certainly hope it will not be that high. But for purposes of planning, I think General Schechter is making the right type of assumption.”
Eli Cohen turned and looked at an empty white grease board, his eyes focusing on nothing. Perhaps for the first time his mind contemplated the costs and the possibility of true disaster.
“Does Director Levy know about Esther’s Sling?” asked Margolis, his question directed to the prime minister.
Cohen snapped out of his thoughts. “Levy? Not unless you have told him.”
“No, Mister Prime Minister. The only people I have ever discussed Esther’s Sling with are in this room or the other members of Yahalom Group.”
“Good. Keep it that way. I have decided… no, let me rephrase that.” The prime minister gathered his thoughts for a moment. “The Kitchen Cabinet has unanimously decided that Director Levy does not have a need to know about Esther’s Sling. Of course, he will be in the loop about the general airstrike and timing. Esther’s Sling, however, must stay outside of Mossad. The organization has too many contacts, too much wheeling and dealing. I want Esther’s Sling to be run by the military — by you guys. Understand?”
“I understand, sir,” replied Margolis. “Of course I am not military.”
“Yes, yes.” Cohen waved his hand through the air. “You know what I mean.”
Margolis nodded his assent.
“General,” the voice was that of Zvi Avner, “what is Northwind?” He was talking to Schechter.
“Ah, yes. Operation Northwind is a deception plan. This we think Mossad can be very involved in. The one unit… um… Amit, what is it called?”