Rise and Kill First
The Secret History of Israel's Targeted Assassinations
Book - 2018
Presents an assessment of Israel's state-sponsored assassination programs that evaluates the protective beliefs that are instituted into every Israeli citizen, the role of assassination in the state's history, and the ethical challenges of Israel's policies on targeted killings.
Publisher:
New York : Random House, [2018]
Edition:
First edition.
ISBN:
9781400069712
1400069718
1400069718
Branch Call Number:
320.95694 BERG
Characteristics:
xxiv, 753 pages, 32 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (some color) ; 25 cm
Additional Contributors:



Opinion
From the critics

Community Activity
Quotes
Add a Quotem
MichelleinBallard
Oct 14, 2018
"Since World War II, Israel has assassinated more people than any other country in the Western world. On innumerable occasions, its leaders have weighed what would be the best way to defend its national security and, out of all the options, have time and again decided on clandestine operations, with assassination the method of choice ... In many cases, Israel's leaders have even determined that in order to kill the designated target, it is moral and legal to endanger the lives of innocent civilians who may happen to find themselves in the line of fire." p. xxii.

Comment
Add a CommentThis is one of the most interesting books I've ever read. It reads like a narrative non-fiction story, a page turner text book. It took a while to get through because every few pages I jumped onto the internet to research how Israel and the Middle East is impacting foreign policy today, in the US under the Trump administration, along with Syria, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt and other Arab nations. This is a must read for anyone who has an interest in how the Middle East is shaping our world. Six stars out of five!
Click on the BiblioCommons' Quotes tab for a key background assertion from the book's preface. The author, Ronen Bergman, a New York Times Magazine staff writer, is no enemy of Israel. In a recent profile ("Israeli reporter for ‘New York Times’ praises AIPAC at closed event: ‘You’ve got our backs’ ") Philip Weiss quotes him as follows: "You know, I've been all over the U.S. with AIPAC and it’s always a great pleasure, as an Israeli. I always tell AIPAC, you do so much in the U.S., and I know that Israel is not the spirit of where you work, but you need to do a little more to explain to Israelis how much they owe AIPAC. Israelis are not aware. I am aware… I know that you’ve got our backs. It's such a great feeling." Weiss has written a number of interesting posts on *Rise and Kill First* on *Mondoweiss*.
On one hand - this book screams/demands a ghostwriter. At times RISE AND KILL FIRST just seems to wonder around. A little more focus/editing would help.
On the other hand - if I knew someone was seriously running for president - this should be on his/her nightstand. It provides a detailed history of how the Middle East and Israel in particular got into the situation that it is in. It also could help formulate a plan that - while the killing will not end - there may be some ways to reduce the killing.