Europe’s intelligence services ranked: what spies really think of Mossad

France’s prestigious magazine L’Express has published a comprehensive ranking of Europe’s intelligence agencies, drawing on insights from current and former spies across the continent. The investigation offers a rare glimpse into how intelligence professionals assess their counterparts’ capabilities and effectiveness.

In an exclusive interview, the magazine’s deputy editor—who oversaw the investigation—revealed surprising conclusions about Israel’s standing among European intelligence circles. Despite the seismic shock of the 7 October attacks, he revealed that Israel’s international reputation has remained largely intact within intelligence communities. The Mossad, Israel’s foreign intelligence agency, continues to command respect among its European peers for its operational capabilities and tradecraft.

Britain’s intelligence services topped the ranking, with the deputy editor highlighting their particular strength in human intelligence gathering. He attributed their dominance to their exceptional ability to recruit and manage informants—a crucial skill in espionage work. The assessment underscores the enduring importance of traditional spy-craft methods, even in an era of technological surveillance.

The L’Express investigation reflects a broader interest in understanding how different nations’ intelligence agencies operate and how they rank relative to one another. Such comparative analysis, based on insider perspectives, offers rare insight into the secretive world of international espionage and the professional respect that exists among rivals.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.