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The article researches the historic relationship between the Mossad directors, the Israeli intelligence service, and the mass media based on the analysis of newspapers, books, and interviews. Other topics mentioned in this article include the role of communication, Mossad director Reuben Shiloah, and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

Abstract: This essay presents for the first time an integrated and comprehensive historical analysis of the relationship between the external intelligence service in Israel, the Mossad, and the media. The theoretical framework of this research demonstrates the significance of analyzing the relationship through the lens of a challenge–response model, based primarily on public relations literature. Since different changes have taken place in society, culture and media, it is crucial to define what issues the Mossad faced during each era in order to accurately evaluate its strategic communications. The Mossad's ability to cope efficiently with crisis situations was majorly influenced by the proportions between the challenges and the responses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] The essay presents a meta-analysis of crisis communication studies regarding Israel. [•] Crisis type, discipline, and research focus are examined. [•] The majority of the studies focused on national crises. [•] The dominant disciplines are communication and security studies. [•] A clear void of research based on crisis communication literature is evident. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]