General Allenby effectively integrated it into the decision making process in such a way, it would be difficult to justify how some major keystones could have taken place without it. The NILI spy ring, led by Aaron Aaronsohn was one of the many intelligence initiatives that British invested in. NILI operated behind enemy lines and provided intelligence with many valuable details such as routes, troop movements, railway and supply lines, fortifications and water locations (Jewishvirtuallibrary.com, unknown). Captain Raymond Savage, who was Allenby's Biographer in addition to him being the deputy military secretary, had this to say about the role of intelligence: "It was very largely the daring work of young spies, most of them natives of Palestine, which enabled the brilliant Field Marshal to accomplish this undertaking so effectively. The leader of the spy ring was a young Jewess, Miss Sarah Aaronsohn. " (Katz, 2007).
For considerable change in strategy to take place, one must come up with an equally persuasive reason to push forward for this change. An initial proposal was to put forward a landing in the rear but that option was looked down upon as the Allies feared a repeat of a Gallipoli style scenario during the landing phase. The question now was what other valid options out there when it came to coming up with something that was not deemed as predictable. This posed a serious problem as the Turks have sent reinforcements towards the Gaza front and attempting to push forward simply by the means of force would be dealt in an equally brutal reaction. What NILI managed to put forward was the Beersheeba option. After investigating the nature of the terrain, intelligence recommended that Beersheba should be the new destination, a 'feint side-show' should also be deployed to deceive the Turks into thinking hat Gaza was the real target (Handel, 1989).
Avshalom Feinberg was in the heart of Beersheeba undercover as a business man.
