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Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel's Targeted Assassinations by Ronen Bergman

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bechols's review against another edition

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4.0

Turns out it’s hard to get away with sneaky stuff.

andreashappe's review against another edition

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5.0

This book is about Israel’s intelligence services and their targeted killing operations, born out of necessity and an (understandable) wish for revenge. The whole book can be read as a clash of a country’s need to defend itself and the fundamental principles of democracy and morality. Add to that the uncertainty of how history might have played out if some operation wouldn’t have been commanded or turned out differently.

It’s also a story about moral ambivalence and the creation of an extrajudicial legal system parallel to criminal law. The slow mangling of the executive branch and military operations, how moral controls and responses slowly fade over time.

Trading lives for political gains is another recurring theme. Most of the politicians’ names are well known if you watched the news in the last couple of years. Another theme is seeing covert operations for more than they are: a tactical tool, but not a replacement for strategy or diplomatic solutions.

I’ve gained respect for some NIOs in Unit 8200.