A Question of Loyalty: Ashraf Marwan and Israel's Intelligence Fiasco in the Yom Kippur War

Ashraf Marwan, President Nasser's son-in-law and President Sadat's close aide, was the most important spy in the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict. However, even today, six years after his mysterious murder in London, the question of whether Marwan genuinely worked for the Israeli Mossad or misled it is at the center of a heated debate. Following a brief description of Marwan's espionage career, this article lays out the main arguments advanced by the ‘double-agent’ school, before showing them to be groundless. I conclude that Marwan had genuinely spied for Israel and was, indeed, ‘the best source the Mossad had ever had’.