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

5.0

Astounding, overwhelming non-fiction book about the Israeli secret services, and specifically their history of assassination. It is absolutely packed with detail and data — so many stories of various operations, by all sides, successful and not. Bergman keeps his tone mostly factual and non partisan — although revealing so much of Israel's secrets automatically puts him at odds with her institutions. He treads a fine line between sympathy and condemnation, again, for both sides — recognising the deep-rooted causes of the conflicts. He is absolutely excoriating, though, about Ariel Sharon, and his efforts to undermine any peaceful initiatives, and hence perpetuate a tragic and vastly damaging and deadly conflict (Benjamin Netanyahu does not fare too well either). In the end, it is a deeply sad book — and makes one want to cry for the missed opportunities, and all the casually slaughtered innocents.