The Israeli army's Military Intelligence (MI) Directorate, or Aman, has begun an effort to collect data on left-wing organizations operating in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and abroad.

The decision to increase resources and personnel for monitoring and battling attempts by pro-Palestinian and anti-Israeli groups to delegitimize Israel, according to military sources, comes as a "result of the rising complexity and intensity of this threat."

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) "has assisted for some time in combating various aspects of the campaign to delegitimize the State of Israel, its policy, and its right to exist," the source told Xinhua on Monday.

The unit will monitor western groups operating locally and overseas that try to bolster boycotts, divestment or sanctions against the Jewish State.

According to the army, however, that it's activities as such, " clearly distinguish between legitimate criticism of the State of Israel and attempts to harm and undermine its right to exist."

Officials said the group will not lead investigations or question members of Israeli organizations such as Breaking the Silence and Machsom Watch, which monitor and criticize the army's policies, nor similar groups abroad.

IDF and government officials had announced several weeks ago the establishment of a working group to consider how to best protect officers and soldiers from legal action abroad for alleged war crimes against Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.

The army set up the department several months ago in the wake of investigations of Israel's raid on a Gaza-bound Turkish aid ship in May 2010, in which commandos killed nine activists, partly due to a lack of intelligence about the violent intentions of some of the passengers.

As well, numerous army and civilian officials and politicians have found themselves facing arrest warrants by pro-Palestinian groups, notably in Britain, over their actions in Operation Cast Lead in Gaza in 2009, which left some 1,400 Palestinians dead.

In November 2010, pro-Palestinian groups abroad uploaded to a website a "blacklist" that included the names, photos and other identifying information of some 200 IDF officers and troops, from brigadier general to corporal, who took part in the massive offensive in Cast Lead.

In the most recent instance, chief IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen Avi Benayahu told Defense News magazine that he had to use a false name to enter England, due to concern over possible arrest on alleged war crimes charges.

"In my last visit to London, I had to assume a false name because well-funded anti-Israel activists are exploiting universal jurisdiction powers to wage lawfare against us," Benayahu told the magazine, adding "It's absurd, and I understand the government is trying to legislate changes to prevent this."

In September 2009, a lawyer for a number of Palestinian families tried such a tactic against Defense Minister Ehud Barak, when he traveled to England to speak at the Labor Party conference. Barak met with former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the then Foreign Secretary David Miliband, who responded to the incident.

"This will never become a country where ministers of Israel are unable to come and have proper dialogue with the government of the United Kingdom," Miliband told Labor Friends of Israel group.

In similar circumstance in December 2009, then Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni canceled a speaking engagement with a Jewish charity in England over an arrest warrant claiming war crimes over her role during the IDF's Cast Lead operation in Gaza.