Reads For The Road: "Mossad" by Michael Bar-Zohar and Nissim Mishal
You can't turn on the TV without coming across fictional shows about the FBI, CIA, NCIS, MI6 or some other covert organization operating somewhere in the world. I have to admit that I am definitely a sucker for these shows (who doesn't love Homeland?), and while I have managed to figure out generally what these organizations do in the real world, the one that I have always been a bit confused about is the Mossad. Who are they fighting for? Are they good guys? Bad guys? (The TV shows are pretty vague on this organization — and yes, I realize that fictional TV shows are not the best source of real-world covert agency information.)
Well if, like me, you are interested in learning more about this organization, Michael Bar-Zohar and Nissim Mishal's Mossad: The Secret Missions of The Israeli Secret Service will be a fascinating read.
Not only does it give — in graphic, unflinching detail — descriptions of some of the organization's secret operations, it also gives a history of how this organization came to be and some real insight into conflicts that are going on in the Middle East in the present day.
This is one incredible intelligence agency.
Warning: There are some pretty graphic descriptions in this book about assassinations, torture, and war-related genocide. Be prepared for a real, raw account of events.