Shin Bet to establish Islamic studies program to address Oct. 7 intelligence failures

The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) is preparing to establish a new Islamic studies program as part of an initiative led by agency chief David Zini to address intelligence failures exposed by investigations into the October 7 massacre, particularly the failure to understand Hamas's ideology and religious extremism.

The new program will operate alongside the Shin Bet's long-established Arabic language institute, which provides language training for personnel across various positions within the organization. The institute is considered to maintain exceptionally high professional standards and periodically also trains IDF personnel.

Zini's initiative will bring together lecturers, subject-matter experts, and senior current and former officials to provide comprehensive instruction on Islam.

He has also decided that the program will incorporate research into Islam, with curricula tailored to the Shin Bet's operational challenges across different arenas. The goal is to strengthen and deepen understanding of the religion and its various interpretations among personnel working in different professional fields.

Lack of understanding of Islam deemed failure of Oct. 7

One of the central conclusions drawn by Israel's intelligence community from the failures of October 7 was a fundamental lack of understanding of Islam, its various branches and interpretations, Palestinian culture, particularly in the Gaza Strip, and broader developments across the Middle East.

This failure was especially significant given the extraordinary volume of high-quality intelligence available regarding Hamas's intentions to launch an incursion into Israeli territory.

The intelligence community's findings also highlighted a failure to understand Hamas's ideology, the growing radicalization of the organization following Yahya Sinwar's release from prison, and the incorporation of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin's vision into Hamas's organizational strategy.

Another critical gap involved the failure to recognize the disconnect between the organization's day-to-day conduct and the deeply held beliefs instilled in Hamas operatives from kindergarten onward.

According to intelligence community sources, as intelligence gathering became increasingly precise through advances in signals intelligence (SIGINT) and cyber capabilities, the perceived need for a fundamental understanding of Islam gradually diminished.

These technological capabilities enabled intelligence agencies to intercept telephone calls, radio communications, WhatsApp messages, and emails, providing increasingly detailed information about their targets.

However, the growing reliance on technological intelligence came at the expense of expertise in Islamic studies. The need for specialized centers dedicated to understanding radical Islam declined, and over time, the professional expertise of intelligence specialists, including their understanding of the enemy, deteriorated.

Against the backdrop of wartime investigations and intelligence gathered during the conflict, a senior intelligence official recently told Walla that Israel had fundamentally underestimated the depth of Hamas's hatred and ideological extremism.

"We did not understand how much Hamas hates Israel. How unwilling it is to accept any compromise. How extreme it is, and how prepared it was before October 7 to justify atrocities such as rape and the kidnapping of children, even though the writing was on the wall. The legitimization of suicide bombings more than 40 years ago was a preview of what was to come," the official said.

Effort to improve employment conditions

In parallel with the initiative to strengthen the Shin Bet's professional expertise, Zini is undertaking a major effort to improve employment conditions for agency personnel.

Working conditions have deteriorated over the past decade despite the growing scale and complexity of the challenges facing the organization.

There is an expectation that progress will be made in negotiations with the Finance Ministry following the elections, particularly regarding salary levels and pay increases, to encourage a new generation of highly qualified recruits to join the Shin Bet.