Rise and Kill First

The Secret History of Israel's Targeted Assassinations

De: Ronen Bergman

Narrado por: Rob Shapiro

New York Times best seller. The first definitive history of the Mossad, Shin Bet, and the IDF’s targeted killing programs, hailed by The New York Times as "an exceptional work, a humane book about an incendiary subject."

Winner of the National Jewish Book Award in History.

Named one of the 10 best books of the year by Jennifer Szalai, The New York Times.

Named one of the best books of the year by The Economist, The New York Times Book Review, BBC History Magazine, Mother Jones, and Kirkus Reviews

The Talmud says: "If someone comes to kill you, rise up and kill him first." This instinct to take every measure, even the most aggressive, to defend the Jewish people is hardwired into Israel's DNA. From the very beginning of its statehood in 1948, protecting the nation from harm has been the responsibility of its intelligence community and armed services, and there is one weapon in their vast arsenal that they have relied upon to thwart the most serious threats: Targeted assassinations have been used countless times, on enemies large and small, sometimes in response to attacks against the Israeli people and sometimes preemptively.

In this pause-resisting, eye-opening audiobook, journalist and military analyst Ronen Bergman - praised by David Remnick as "arguably [Israel's] best investigative reporter" - offers a riveting inside account of the targeted killing programs: their successes, their failures, and the moral and political price exacted on the men and women who approved and carried out the missions.

Bergman has gained the exceedingly rare cooperation of many current and former members of the Israeli government, including Prime Ministers Shimon Peres, Ehud Barak, Ariel Sharon, and Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as high-level figures in the country's military and intelligence services: the IDF (Israel Defense Forces), the Mossad (the world's most feared intelligence agency), Caesarea (a "Mossad within the Mossad" that carries out attacks on the highest-value targets), and the Shin Bet (an internal security service that implemented the largest targeted assassination campaign ever, in order to stop what had once appeared to be unstoppable: suicide terrorism).

Including never-before-reported, behind-the-curtain accounts of key operations, and based on hundreds of on-the-record interviews and thousands of files to which Bergman has gotten exclusive access over his decades of reporting, Rise and Kill First brings us deep into the heart of Israel’s most secret activities. Bergman traces, from statehood to the present, the gripping events and thorny ethical questions underlying Israel’s targeted killing campaign, which has shaped the Israeli nation, the Middle East, and the entire world.

©2018 Ronen Bergman (P)2018 Random House Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Ronen Bergman has set out in incontestable detail the history and scale of Israel’s use of extrajudicial killing as an instrument of defense and foreign policy. His material is stark and sensational, but he steers a steady course through it, even pausing along the way to debate the effectiveness and morality of his subject. The result is a compelling read whatever your point of view.” (John le Carré)

“This remarkable account of Israel’s targeted-killing programs is the product of nearly eight years of research into what is arguably the most secretive and impenetrable intelligence community in the world. Bergman, an investigative reporter and military analyst, interviewed hundreds of insiders, including assassins, and obtained thousands of classified documents.” (The New Yorker)

“America’s difficult relationship with targeted killing and the dilemmas we may face in the future are beautifully illuminated by the longer story of Israel’s experiences with assassination in its own endless war against terrorism.... Americans now have a terrific new introduction to that story with publication of Ronen Bergman’s Rise and Kill First.... It moves at a torrid pace and tells stories that would make Jason Bourne sit up and say ‘Wow!’ It is smart, thoughtful and balanced, and the English translation is superb. It deserves all of the plaudits it has already received.” (The New York Times Book Review)

“Blending history and investigative reporting, Bergman never loses sight of the ethical questions that arise when a state, founded as a refuge for a stateless people who were targets of a genocide, decides it needs to kill in order to survive.... This book is full of shocking moments, surprising disturbances in a narrative full of fateful twists and unintended consequences.” (The New York Times)

fantastic

amazing details, gripping story. the access this man had was amazing. so many suspenseful moment. highly recommend.

Chronalogical history of covert operations.

What made the experience of listening to Rise and Kill First the most enjoyable?

I have been alive the entire period of time covered by this book. I remember the news of many of the events told about here. Getting the background information & hearing about the step by step planning & preparation involved in each operation was extremely interesting to me. The amount of detail the author has put together is impressive & quite astonishing, but never boring. I enjoyed the book tremendously.

What other book might you compare Rise and Kill First to and why?

The Conquering Tide, War in the Pacific Islands, 1942 - 1944 Author; Ian W. Toll This is a very well written book with interesting back stories & enough detail to make it seem real & authentic.

What does Rob Shapiro bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Perfect diction & an ability to pronounce the Hebrew & Arab names, presumably, correctly. Just makes the story more authentic & enjoyable for me.

If you could give Rise and Kill First a new subtitle, what would it be?

History of the Israeli Government's Covert Operations

Any additional comments?

Worth my time!

Shocking.

I had no idea the amount of planning, subterfuge and clandestin planning that it took to create the state of Israel. These truly dedicated men and women sacrificed their friends, family and themselves to ensure that the that their country survived emence pressure from all sides.

Fascinating look at Israel and its military/intelligence complex

First, the narration. It was very well done, attention capturing, perfect for the content. The writing was thrilling, emotive and concise. It’s a long book, but never bores. I’m already looking forward to listening again.

Very complex history of targeted assasinations

It is a very interesting story that shows how difficult it is for Israel to defend itself against terrorism. For Israel to survive they need to be smarter than their adversaries and completely dedicated to their survival. Story is very well documented. Fascinating and complicated at the same time.

Cloak and Dagger tales of the highest order

A fascinating cloak and dagger tale that brings the complexity of Israel's place in the middle east into clarity

Excellent Book

Amazing way of writing a book and the narrator is very good as well, i really enjoyed this book

a great story...

this is a great story about the middle East crisis and sell worth the time of reading

Amazing Book

Very interesting history, fast paced with a lot of fascinating details. Probably one of the best military books I have listened too, high recommend it.

Our world is smaller than we may think

This book really seems to highlight the state of politics today. We see how few people control decisions made in a place as small as Israel and as large as the US; that power really is almost dynastic (i.e. if you make it in the military, or not, you can still find a way to have a botched political career and get a paycheck). This book really dials in on the tension between what is good and right, and what those two concepts look like to different actors. It also filled in a lot of gaps as to why so many countries seem to take issue with Israel. Overall, a fascinating book that will definitely sharpen your focus on politics, and not just in the Middle East. Ultimately, we're all impacted by decisions made, even if they are half way around the world.