The YAMAM ( ימ"מ ) is the elite civilian counter terrorism unit of Israel. The YAMAM has a world-wide reputation as a professional and successful counter terrorism unit and it is capable of both hostages-rescue operations as well as offensive take-over raids (for use against terrorists). Besides CT duties, YAMAM also performs SWAT duties and undercover police work.1 Name and Organization
YAMAM stands for Special Police Unit (יחידת משטרה מיוחדת). In Israel it is also called "The Unit for Counter-Terror היחידה ללוחמה בטרור". YAMAM answers to MAGAV central command and belongs to the civilian Israeli police forces rather than the military. Its operators and officers are professional policemen on payroll, usually with combat experience from their military service within the IDF.
The YAMAM is self-dependent, training its own operators in all fields (such as sniping, recon, dog operating, bomb disposal, etc). As a result, YAMAM has a very rapid deployment time and high coordination between various squads (sniping squad, entry team, engagement force etc).
The YAMAM primary duties are:
- Hostage rescue ( terrorist events).
- Hostage rescue ( criminal events).
- Counter terrorism (preventative operations).
- SWAT duties - handling dangerous criminials.
- Undercover police operations.
- VIP security.
Most of the YAMAM's activity is classified and often published YAMAM operations are credited to other units. Regardless, YAMAN enjoys a high reputation among SF professionals and the Israeli public.
2 History
The YAMAM was established after the Maalot massacre, where military SF units failed operation ended with 21 children murdered before the terrorists were killed. Since hostages rescue in friendly territory is different than counter terror in hostile areas, it was decided to establish an elite civilian force - which develop and practice a special CQBCQB is an acronym for Close Quarters Battles and refers to fighting methods within buildings, streets, narrow alleys and other places were visibility and maneuverability are limited. Both CQB and MOUT are related to urban warfare but while MOUT refers mai doctorine for CTCT or ct may stand for: carat ct centimes ct computed tomography (e. in neuroanatomy, CAT scan) Connecticut Counter-terrorism (see also: war on terrorism) c't Ceska Televize Lists of two-letter combinations. operations in friendly territory and hostages rescue. In the late 1974 YAMAM was established as a SF CT unit of MAGAV - the combat arm of the Israeli police.
2.1 Operational Record Before al-Aqsa IntifadaThe al-Aqsa or Second Intifada is the intifada (the wave of violence and political conflict) that began in 2000 between Israel and the Palestinians. The IDF codenamed it " " ("Ebb and Tide events") but it is unofficially referred to as the Oslo War in som (1974 - September 2000)
YAMAM have carried many counter-terror operations. Small part of the missions known to public are listed below:
- At March, 1988, YAMAM was to called to action after a group of 3 Palestinian terrorists hijacked a bus full of women near Dimona, in an incident know as the " Mothers Bus ". YAMAM performed a rescue operation killing all the three terrorists, but didn't manage to prevent 3 Israeli passengers from being killed.
- On March 3, 2000, YAMAM captured a terrorist group hidden in the Israeli-Arab town of Taibe with the aid of Sayeret Duvedvan and an IDF Caterpillar D9 bulldozer. In the end of the raid, 1 terrorist was arrested and 4 were killed. [1]
