An autobiography that is also political manifesto and strategic reflection. With The Sword of Freedom: Israel, Mossad, and the Secret War, Released on September 16 for Harper Collins, Yossi Cohen – director of Mossad between 2016 and 2021 – breaks the silence that traditionally envelops the leaders of theIsraeli intelligence And he brings the reader into one of the most feared and respected agencies in the world.
The volume, 288 dry and direct pages, looks like a Memoir But it aspires to much more: it is a personal narrative that intertwines operational memories, reflections on national security and an analysis of the Middle Eastern conflict. Cohen He chooses to open the story with an event destined to mark Israel: the Hamas attack of 7 October 2023. The ex spymaster does not hide his criticism of military institutions and of intelligenceaccused of having lowered his guard in front of a threat that he describes as “always present, never defeated”.
However, the heart of the book focuses on the operations conducted during its direction. Among these, the 2018 blow stands out in Tehran: the theft of the Iranian nuclear archive. Cohen It tells it as an action of audacity and precision, planned in the smallest details, which showed the world the ability of Mossad and revealed how advanced the atomic program of the Islamic Republic. “It wasn’t just an operation of intelligenceit was a political and strategic message, “he writes, underlining that Israel’s security is not negotiable.
The style of Cohen reflects man: pragmatic, direct, without concessions to rhetoric. It is not a book of literature, but of substance. The pages show the relentless logic of the spy’s job: anticipate threats, take responsibility for decisions that can save or compromise human lives, act in a context where bankruptcy is not contemplated. «Safety is always paid, in difficulty, in sacrifices, sometimes in blood. The alternative is the defeat, “he observes Cohen.
But next to the chapters dedicated to secret operationsthere is a theme that hovers like a shadow on the entire story: the relationship with the Qatar. During his direction, Israel allowed Doha to get to Gaza large financial flows, officially intended for civil purposes. Cohenon several occasions, defended this policy as “a necessary evil”, going to define mediation Qatari A sort of guarantee of quiet. Recordings that emerged later show it while talking about Qatar as “a blessing” for the management of the strip. In more recent times, however, the former head of the Mossad He distanced himself, declaring that he has publicly asked for the end of those transfers and accusing other political decision makers of having insisted on keeping them. This oscillation has fueled accusations of inconsistency and the suspicion that there is a political calculation behind the narrative. No less controversial his invitation not to attack publicly Dohastill considered an indispensable mediator today in the negotiations for the release of the hostages.
The reviews released on international press They underlined the strengths of the text: the ability to open a gash on a normally impenetrable world, the clarity with which Cohen It tells the moral dilemmas that each operation involves, the narrative tension that transforms the news into a political thriller. But there is no shortage of limits. As happens for all the memoir of intelligencemany details are deliberately vague, covered by secret. Some critics point out that the book seems to also have a political purpose: to build the public image of Cohen as a potential leader, ready for a future role of government. An aspect that strikes is the valiant frame that accompanies reflections. Cohen does not hide his religious and cultural identity: his vision of Israeli security is rooted in the belief that it Jewish state should defend itself with absolute determination, without indulging in utopian visions. Hence the criticism of the illusion of rapid peace and the concessions made to enemies. “Israel’s survival is not the subject of negotiation,” he insists.
The book has already raised discussions. For some it is a precious contribution to understanding the role of Mossad in the 21st century; For others it is a text that looks to the past rather than in the future, with the risk of being trapped in a securitarian vision without openings to reconciliation scenarios. What is certain is that its exit marks a rare event: the former head of a secret service that decides to offer its own version of the facts, revealing the mentality that guides theintelligence Israeli. The Sword of Freedom It is therefore not just an autobiography. It is a message launched to the Israeli and international public: Israel lives in a state of permanent war and defense is the only language that matters. With a sober but incisive style, Cohen delivers a warning to the reader and, perhaps, an implicit candidacy for future roles. In any case, the book remains a key testimony for those who want to understand the operational and political philosophy of Mossad, between myth and reality, with the long shadow of Qatar to remember how much the Geopolitica be made of often controversial compromises.
