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The Sword of Freedom: Israel, Mossad, and the Secret War
Israel has always won. They are winning now. And they must always win in the future.
In The Sword of Freedom, former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen pulls back the curtain on Israel’s success in the face of never-ending war. Cohen has played a pivotal role in shaping Israel’s modern defense strategy. Blending personal stories and the nation’s history, he offers a rare glimpse into how Israel has defied existential threats and built a cutting-edge defense system. Now, he reveals how Israel always finds a way to win, as well
· The secret to Israel’s success as a nation and military power
· The future of Gaza and Hamas
· What it takes to be in the Mossad
· The mistakes Westerners make when they look at the Middle East
· How Mossad helps counter terrorism around the world
· How the art of spycraft has changed in the advent of AI and social media
· What Donald Trump’s second presidency means for Israel
In today’s volatile world Israel must remain adaptable and resolute to survive. Cohen explores how Israel achieves by questioning all intelligence, prioritizing human ingenuity, cooperating with other countries (even ones you might not expect), and ensuring enemies fear defeat before battles begin.
As David Ben-Gurion observed, “History is not written, it is created.” From thrilling covert operations to strategies that safeguard borders, The Sword of Freedom demonstrates how Israel’s transformation from a vulnerable state to a global power was no accident.
In The Sword of Freedom, former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen pulls back the curtain on Israel’s success in the face of never-ending war. Cohen has played a pivotal role in shaping Israel’s modern defense strategy. Blending personal stories and the nation’s history, he offers a rare glimpse into how Israel has defied existential threats and built a cutting-edge defense system. Now, he reveals how Israel always finds a way to win, as well
· The secret to Israel’s success as a nation and military power
· The future of Gaza and Hamas
· What it takes to be in the Mossad
· The mistakes Westerners make when they look at the Middle East
· How Mossad helps counter terrorism around the world
· How the art of spycraft has changed in the advent of AI and social media
· What Donald Trump’s second presidency means for Israel
In today’s volatile world Israel must remain adaptable and resolute to survive. Cohen explores how Israel achieves by questioning all intelligence, prioritizing human ingenuity, cooperating with other countries (even ones you might not expect), and ensuring enemies fear defeat before battles begin.
As David Ben-Gurion observed, “History is not written, it is created.” From thrilling covert operations to strategies that safeguard borders, The Sword of Freedom demonstrates how Israel’s transformation from a vulnerable state to a global power was no accident.
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First published September 1, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
August 28, 2025
Brilliantly written. Loved the intimate details of Israel’s determination, strength and foresight. Look forward to reading more by author.
September 19, 2025
Underwhelming
It’s a book being used to launch Yossi’s political career. If you want to read about the Mossad, look elsewhere.
It’s a book being used to launch Yossi’s political career. If you want to read about the Mossad, look elsewhere.
October 17, 2025
The book, written by a former Director of Mossad, provides a peek into the mysterious world of Israel’s intelligence operations.
Read
November 11, 2025boring...appeared to be a marketing device to promote his future political career
November 8, 2025
A fascinating read authored by the former head of the Mossad. If you want to gain insight into the mindset of Israel, whether or not you are supporter of that state, this book is a must.
October 9, 2025
I bought this book after listening to Cohen’s recent interview with Bari Weiss. Traduced by the subtitle, I expected to read about Mossad’s many, ruthless triumphs over the foreign actors that have sought to annihilate the State of Israel since its inception. Instead, I found myself slogging through a 260-page campaign leaflet, punctuated for brief periods by admittedly inspiring stories of resilience and personal sacrifice (often, but by no means always, involving the author as protagonist).
Certain passages seem to have been crafted by Cohen to deflect blame for recent intelligence failures. Recounting his interactions with Netanyahu in the aftermath of October 7th, for instance, Cohen writes that he reminded “the PM of my previous advice to personally assess the intelligence” (p. 16). Cohen does not explain precisely how more minute attention on the part of the prime minister to what was undoubtedly a cornucopia of raw intelligence might have thwarted the attack, but he does imply that military intelligence officials and Israel’s domestic intelligence service had engaged in turf wars to the nation’s hurt.
More than once in the seemingly unrelated narratives that have been stuffed together within discrete chapters, Cohen quotes prominent figures to illustrate his own importance. After listening to Cohen’s offer to broker the creation of a humanitarian corridor that would funnel Palestinian civilians into Sinai before the aerial bombardment of Gaza, we are told, Netanyahu turns to his aides and remarks, “‘What Yossi says here is very valuable’” (p. 17). In case the proliferation of quotation marks in the previous sentence threw you, that was me quoting Cohen verbatim, who was quoting Netanyahu verbatim (allegedly). The former director of MI6 tells Cohen, “We do not give out Oscars in intelligence, but if we did, you would deserve one” (p. 165). Susan Rice, Obama’s former national security adviser, tells Cohen upon departing from her post as a domestic policy adviser in the Biden White House, “Yossi . . . [y]ou are a great patriot” (p. 203).
Many passages exude rank narcissism. Cohen’s decision to purchase matériel on behalf of the IDF is admirable; his decision to tell us about his own beneficence is not (p.19). As a child, Cohen was “perceived as a prodigy, destined to become an important rabbi or spiritual leader” (p.34). Of the decades he spent as a Mossad operative Cohen comments, “I didn’t need credit or gratitude,” which begs the question (p. 118). Of his involvement in the negotiations surrounding the Abraham Accords, Cohen comments, “It is ultimately incidental that, in addition to worldwide appreciation, my role has been recognized by the state of Israel” (p. 181). Cohen quotes the paragraph-long citation for his George Tenet Award, which extolled “[h]is leadership and strategic vision” (p. 210). Did you know that the infiltration of Hezbollah’s pager network has been described as “Yossi Cohen’s masterpiece” (p. 227)? Now I do. Such statements are more befitting of Dennis Reynolds than a retired spymaster.
Sometimes, Cohen sounds like your run-of-the-mill C-suite rent-seeker or college dean, such as when he informs us that his “decision-making process involves three elements: vision, leadership, and action” (p.106). As deputy director of Mossad, Cohen “led to the extreme” (p. 151). Following a 2016 attack by ISIS-affiliated terrorists in a Brussels airport terminal, Cohen “called his senior officials to a meeting” and “took the strategic decision that . . . the Mossad would spare no effort in understanding and disrupting Daesh activity” (p. 159). Is Cohen saying that, prior to his installment as director, Mossad had made a strategic decision to hotdog operations against ISIS?
Several statements—such as Cohen’s curious assertion that “we shouldn’t need confirmation from NASA scientists that the Earth’s surface is warming” because of our own “lived experience” (p. 125)—betray a willingness to genuflect to progressive pieties in order to forge a winning political coalition, an irritating (if venial) sin. Cohen is “sure we will not be using carbon gas, or any of the fossil fuels, in fifty years [sic] time,” an assertion that is belied by his later observation that an alliance between Russia and Saudi Arabia would be formidable precisely because it would control a quarter of the world’s crude oil production (pp. 153 and 192).
Cohen drifts into stream-of-consciousness accounts of the life of a Mossad trainee and operative rather than telling us which conflict he was participating in, where in the world he was operating, which asset he was cultivating and what objective he was ultimately trying to achieve. “I am sad or happy according to the operational need. You have to play the game, predict where the chess pieces will move, and with what intent” (p. 56). This breathless style continues for pages at a time.
A charitable reader might conclude that the lack of context and operational detail stem from Cohen’s need to observe official secrecy. Cohen acknowledges as much when he writes of his tenure as deputy director of Mossad, “I can’t reveal the specifics of what we did” (p. 142). This concession is problematic for someone who has endeavored to write a memoir.
All that being said, nuggets of practical insight are hidden amid the detritus. For instance, Cohen forthrightly acknowledges that criticizing Putin during his tenure as Mossad director would not have been in Israel’s interest, since Russian cooperation was needed for Israel to strike Iranian arms routes through Syria (p. 191). Furthermore, Cohen’s egotism should not detract from the fact that all relevant evidence suggests he is a man of immense fortitude and bravery whose profession keeps billions of people safe on a daily basis. In 2023, for instance, MI5 confirmed that 39 terrorist plots had been foiled over the previous six years, many (we are led to believe) due to intelligence sharing by Israel (p. 165). Cohen’s account of the apprehension of Asadollah Asadi, an Iranian diplomat who trundled around Europe in the 2010s recruiting Iranian emigrants to commit acts of terror, and Cohen’s review of the spate of ISIS attacks that shook France and Germany during the 2010s should remind readers that we do, indeed, live in a dangerous world and that heroes are not always renowned for their meekness and humility. Indeed, Churchill was often derided as a megalomaniac.
Unfortunately for Cohen, pilfering the archive that corroborated Iran’s nuclear ambitions—while daring—is not on the same scale as saving an entire civilization from Nazism. At the moment, all I can do is adapt a criticism of Churchill’s work and remark that Yossi Cohen has written a book all about himself and called it the “Sword of Freedom.”
Certain passages seem to have been crafted by Cohen to deflect blame for recent intelligence failures. Recounting his interactions with Netanyahu in the aftermath of October 7th, for instance, Cohen writes that he reminded “the PM of my previous advice to personally assess the intelligence” (p. 16). Cohen does not explain precisely how more minute attention on the part of the prime minister to what was undoubtedly a cornucopia of raw intelligence might have thwarted the attack, but he does imply that military intelligence officials and Israel’s domestic intelligence service had engaged in turf wars to the nation’s hurt.
More than once in the seemingly unrelated narratives that have been stuffed together within discrete chapters, Cohen quotes prominent figures to illustrate his own importance. After listening to Cohen’s offer to broker the creation of a humanitarian corridor that would funnel Palestinian civilians into Sinai before the aerial bombardment of Gaza, we are told, Netanyahu turns to his aides and remarks, “‘What Yossi says here is very valuable’” (p. 17). In case the proliferation of quotation marks in the previous sentence threw you, that was me quoting Cohen verbatim, who was quoting Netanyahu verbatim (allegedly). The former director of MI6 tells Cohen, “We do not give out Oscars in intelligence, but if we did, you would deserve one” (p. 165). Susan Rice, Obama’s former national security adviser, tells Cohen upon departing from her post as a domestic policy adviser in the Biden White House, “Yossi . . . [y]ou are a great patriot” (p. 203).
Many passages exude rank narcissism. Cohen’s decision to purchase matériel on behalf of the IDF is admirable; his decision to tell us about his own beneficence is not (p.19). As a child, Cohen was “perceived as a prodigy, destined to become an important rabbi or spiritual leader” (p.34). Of the decades he spent as a Mossad operative Cohen comments, “I didn’t need credit or gratitude,” which begs the question (p. 118). Of his involvement in the negotiations surrounding the Abraham Accords, Cohen comments, “It is ultimately incidental that, in addition to worldwide appreciation, my role has been recognized by the state of Israel” (p. 181). Cohen quotes the paragraph-long citation for his George Tenet Award, which extolled “[h]is leadership and strategic vision” (p. 210). Did you know that the infiltration of Hezbollah’s pager network has been described as “Yossi Cohen’s masterpiece” (p. 227)? Now I do. Such statements are more befitting of Dennis Reynolds than a retired spymaster.
Sometimes, Cohen sounds like your run-of-the-mill C-suite rent-seeker or college dean, such as when he informs us that his “decision-making process involves three elements: vision, leadership, and action” (p.106). As deputy director of Mossad, Cohen “led to the extreme” (p. 151). Following a 2016 attack by ISIS-affiliated terrorists in a Brussels airport terminal, Cohen “called his senior officials to a meeting” and “took the strategic decision that . . . the Mossad would spare no effort in understanding and disrupting Daesh activity” (p. 159). Is Cohen saying that, prior to his installment as director, Mossad had made a strategic decision to hotdog operations against ISIS?
Several statements—such as Cohen’s curious assertion that “we shouldn’t need confirmation from NASA scientists that the Earth’s surface is warming” because of our own “lived experience” (p. 125)—betray a willingness to genuflect to progressive pieties in order to forge a winning political coalition, an irritating (if venial) sin. Cohen is “sure we will not be using carbon gas, or any of the fossil fuels, in fifty years [sic] time,” an assertion that is belied by his later observation that an alliance between Russia and Saudi Arabia would be formidable precisely because it would control a quarter of the world’s crude oil production (pp. 153 and 192).
Cohen drifts into stream-of-consciousness accounts of the life of a Mossad trainee and operative rather than telling us which conflict he was participating in, where in the world he was operating, which asset he was cultivating and what objective he was ultimately trying to achieve. “I am sad or happy according to the operational need. You have to play the game, predict where the chess pieces will move, and with what intent” (p. 56). This breathless style continues for pages at a time.
A charitable reader might conclude that the lack of context and operational detail stem from Cohen’s need to observe official secrecy. Cohen acknowledges as much when he writes of his tenure as deputy director of Mossad, “I can’t reveal the specifics of what we did” (p. 142). This concession is problematic for someone who has endeavored to write a memoir.
All that being said, nuggets of practical insight are hidden amid the detritus. For instance, Cohen forthrightly acknowledges that criticizing Putin during his tenure as Mossad director would not have been in Israel’s interest, since Russian cooperation was needed for Israel to strike Iranian arms routes through Syria (p. 191). Furthermore, Cohen’s egotism should not detract from the fact that all relevant evidence suggests he is a man of immense fortitude and bravery whose profession keeps billions of people safe on a daily basis. In 2023, for instance, MI5 confirmed that 39 terrorist plots had been foiled over the previous six years, many (we are led to believe) due to intelligence sharing by Israel (p. 165). Cohen’s account of the apprehension of Asadollah Asadi, an Iranian diplomat who trundled around Europe in the 2010s recruiting Iranian emigrants to commit acts of terror, and Cohen’s review of the spate of ISIS attacks that shook France and Germany during the 2010s should remind readers that we do, indeed, live in a dangerous world and that heroes are not always renowned for their meekness and humility. Indeed, Churchill was often derided as a megalomaniac.
Unfortunately for Cohen, pilfering the archive that corroborated Iran’s nuclear ambitions—while daring—is not on the same scale as saving an entire civilization from Nazism. At the moment, all I can do is adapt a criticism of Churchill’s work and remark that Yossi Cohen has written a book all about himself and called it the “Sword of Freedom.”
November 19, 2025
I read The Sword of Freedom by Yossi Cohen with genuine interest — and finished it quickly. Cohen has led an extraordinary life, joining the Mossad at 22 and ultimately becoming its director, and those parts of the book are fascinating. I especially enjoyed his glimpses into Mossad training and operational thinking.
That said, the book feels somewhat unfocused. It drifts into political commentary and self-congratulation (“I did this” far more than “we did this”), and the narrative meanders without a clear arc. It also withholds many of the details one hopes for in a memoir of this kind.
Still, it’s an entertaining read and offers a window — if a guarded one — into the mind of a man who spent decades at the heart of Israel’s intelligence world.
That said, the book feels somewhat unfocused. It drifts into political commentary and self-congratulation (“I did this” far more than “we did this”), and the narrative meanders without a clear arc. It also withholds many of the details one hopes for in a memoir of this kind.
Still, it’s an entertaining read and offers a window — if a guarded one — into the mind of a man who spent decades at the heart of Israel’s intelligence world.
September 29, 2025
Some good stories and information from behind the scenes but mostly an exercise in self-aggrandizement
October 3, 2025
Interesting anecdotes but the story meandered continuously and functioned more like an unconnected stream of conscious. There was no overarching message but a mixture of autobiography, political opinions, story telling and value sharing with no thread that connected everything together and left the reader with an enduring message.
November 17, 2025
The Sword of Freedom, by Yossi Cohen; Broadside Books: New York; $29.99 Hardback
October 7th, 2023, the day Hamas militants invaded Israel, is the touchstone of this study in power. Yossi Cohen, former Director of Israel’s clandestine service, Mossad, brings insight into why this disaster happened as a focus of his memoir of a life lived in the secret world.
Cohen writes about his experiences developed over years as a trained clandestine case officer. That is, he was recruited to be taught the skills necessary to recruit adversaries to spy against their own country on behalf of Israel. He would identify weaknesses in adversaries, be it money, women, or perhaps drugs. He’d exploit that to bring them into his lair. Who are those adversaries? How can they be used to secure Israel? Answers to such questions guide the focus of this book, for Cohen is quite definite in his opinions about power and its uses.
Yossi Cohen moved up the ladder in the leadership of Mossad. His skills in recruiting spies allowed him to know how to manipulate, without being manipulated. He expresses how strength must remain independent, based on trust. This allows your team to act independently, while you retain ultimate responsibility. Thus he excuses nothing and takes responsibilities for all actions taken on his watch as former Director. He revealed Iranian nuclear ambitions, and even led negotiations with certain Arab countries to diminish the perpetual hatreds between them and Israel. Throughout the book we receive character studies of Israeli leadership, of international intrigues, and a host of other revelations known only to someone who was there.
Cohen is particularly critical of those who were responsible for the lack of Israeli military preparedness which resulted in the unanticipated disaster that befell Israel in October 2023. Complacency, poor decisions about vacations, force alignment, and spotty surveillance all combined to wreak horror on his nation. Most interesting is how Cohen assesses the intelligence which could have provided a ‘heads up’ before the enemy attacked. How, he asks, could there have been no verification of the intelligence provided? Who were the sources? When were they checked for accuracy, for reliability?
In all, Cohen’s is a good memoir of his own life, but more so an excellent assessment of what life is like in the secret world. He tells about the loneliness of decisions made in that world. He explains why decisions made must be cold, rational, and accurate at all times. Otherwise, all could be lost. After all, it was lack of such constant awareness that led to the great assault which killed some 1200 Israelis.
October 7th, 2023, the day Hamas militants invaded Israel, is the touchstone of this study in power. Yossi Cohen, former Director of Israel’s clandestine service, Mossad, brings insight into why this disaster happened as a focus of his memoir of a life lived in the secret world.
Cohen writes about his experiences developed over years as a trained clandestine case officer. That is, he was recruited to be taught the skills necessary to recruit adversaries to spy against their own country on behalf of Israel. He would identify weaknesses in adversaries, be it money, women, or perhaps drugs. He’d exploit that to bring them into his lair. Who are those adversaries? How can they be used to secure Israel? Answers to such questions guide the focus of this book, for Cohen is quite definite in his opinions about power and its uses.
Yossi Cohen moved up the ladder in the leadership of Mossad. His skills in recruiting spies allowed him to know how to manipulate, without being manipulated. He expresses how strength must remain independent, based on trust. This allows your team to act independently, while you retain ultimate responsibility. Thus he excuses nothing and takes responsibilities for all actions taken on his watch as former Director. He revealed Iranian nuclear ambitions, and even led negotiations with certain Arab countries to diminish the perpetual hatreds between them and Israel. Throughout the book we receive character studies of Israeli leadership, of international intrigues, and a host of other revelations known only to someone who was there.
Cohen is particularly critical of those who were responsible for the lack of Israeli military preparedness which resulted in the unanticipated disaster that befell Israel in October 2023. Complacency, poor decisions about vacations, force alignment, and spotty surveillance all combined to wreak horror on his nation. Most interesting is how Cohen assesses the intelligence which could have provided a ‘heads up’ before the enemy attacked. How, he asks, could there have been no verification of the intelligence provided? Who were the sources? When were they checked for accuracy, for reliability?
In all, Cohen’s is a good memoir of his own life, but more so an excellent assessment of what life is like in the secret world. He tells about the loneliness of decisions made in that world. He explains why decisions made must be cold, rational, and accurate at all times. Otherwise, all could be lost. After all, it was lack of such constant awareness that led to the great assault which killed some 1200 Israelis.
October 24, 2025
***.5
Cohen is a recent former director of Mossad and previously served as Netanyahu's National Security Advisor, but had already left the posts prior to Oct 7. He's therefore in a rare position of knowing most of the people in power who allowed it happen, as well as being one of world's foremost experts the local, regional, and geopolitical situation. Disappointingly, he doesn't use any of that experience, insight, or expertise to explain the disastrous intelligence failures. Instead, he implies that if had been in charge it wouldn't have happened, without articulating what he would have done differently.
The book itself is a mashup of memoir, motivational material, and essays on various political topics. The most interesting parts were the anecdotes about how as a field operative he recruited sources in hostile nations. Since he of course can't divulge most of the details of his career, he resorts to generalized blather about values and toughness, spending a great deal of time preening and lavishly stroking his engorged ego.
Based on who he declares as his heroes (Herzl, Ben Gurion, Jabotinsky), and the amount of fawning he does for contemporary figures like trump and MBS, coupled with deriding potential opponents like Lapid and Bennett, it seems like a big part of the motivation for writing the book is to enter the political arena at the highest level. In the context of setting the stage for a political campaign, the book makes a lot more sense. For instance, he takes credit for the Hezbollah beeper operation and the heist of Iran's nuclear secrets, lectures Zelenskyy about how to deal with Putin, and generally puts himself forward as not only the smartest person in the room, but also the most noble, the most level-headed, the most experienced, the most learned, ethical, and moral, and of course the most modest.
While his cozying up to dictators and slobbery fawning over questionable characters like Mike Pompeo made me throw up a little in my mouth, his presentation center-right policies, religious background, military service, and vast diplomatic and managerial experience are calculated to appeal to a large segment of Israeli voters. It will be interesting to see how someone who operated in the shadows for decades does under the spotlight. Meanwhile, while far from perfect this book provides a good introduction into his background, what makes him tick, and where his priorities lie.
Cohen is a recent former director of Mossad and previously served as Netanyahu's National Security Advisor, but had already left the posts prior to Oct 7. He's therefore in a rare position of knowing most of the people in power who allowed it happen, as well as being one of world's foremost experts the local, regional, and geopolitical situation. Disappointingly, he doesn't use any of that experience, insight, or expertise to explain the disastrous intelligence failures. Instead, he implies that if had been in charge it wouldn't have happened, without articulating what he would have done differently.
The book itself is a mashup of memoir, motivational material, and essays on various political topics. The most interesting parts were the anecdotes about how as a field operative he recruited sources in hostile nations. Since he of course can't divulge most of the details of his career, he resorts to generalized blather about values and toughness, spending a great deal of time preening and lavishly stroking his engorged ego.
Based on who he declares as his heroes (Herzl, Ben Gurion, Jabotinsky), and the amount of fawning he does for contemporary figures like trump and MBS, coupled with deriding potential opponents like Lapid and Bennett, it seems like a big part of the motivation for writing the book is to enter the political arena at the highest level. In the context of setting the stage for a political campaign, the book makes a lot more sense. For instance, he takes credit for the Hezbollah beeper operation and the heist of Iran's nuclear secrets, lectures Zelenskyy about how to deal with Putin, and generally puts himself forward as not only the smartest person in the room, but also the most noble, the most level-headed, the most experienced, the most learned, ethical, and moral, and of course the most modest.
While his cozying up to dictators and slobbery fawning over questionable characters like Mike Pompeo made me throw up a little in my mouth, his presentation center-right policies, religious background, military service, and vast diplomatic and managerial experience are calculated to appeal to a large segment of Israeli voters. It will be interesting to see how someone who operated in the shadows for decades does under the spotlight. Meanwhile, while far from perfect this book provides a good introduction into his background, what makes him tick, and where his priorities lie.
December 27, 2025
I came across this book as a recent release at my local bookstore and thought the topic seemed interesting. After seeing headlines about the missions and successes of Israel’s Mossad, I was curious to know more, and Cohen seemed like a knowledgeable inside source.
The introduction almost put me off with its unnecessary lovefest of Donald Trump, speaking about him as if he were some incredible political savior and international freedom-fighter. I found that whole section worthy of a hearty eye roll. I persisted though, as I sought facts over the loaded-word hooplah.
As I got into the first few chapters of the book and the text got more into the details of the Mossad and Cohen’s former and more recent roles, I was incredibly interested to learn how this establishment was formed and able to earn such a revered reputation.
Overall, there was a lot of interesting information about the history of the Mossad and the drive and dedication that it takes to be a part of it, along with the why. It wasn’t as in-depth as I was initially hoping and expecting, but seeing the details from Cohen’s point of view did give it a fascinating edge as he shared his personal experiences with the institution and in collaboration with other nations.
Some food for thought that I came across: Chapter 7 had some very thought-provoking passages which I found to be applicable to the Palestinians as well (although Cohen obviously doesn’t make the connection). I always find it interesting how Israel only sees its own existential crisis and not the ones they are perpetrating.
Page 127 and some of the passages about the Scroll of Independence also struck me as a bit ironic in what Israel (and Cohen) believes they are following and how they have actually treated non-Jews over the course of time in their country. I know this was not a history of Israel and the conflicts within its borders, but after all of the other readings I have done this year, it was hard to read these positions in the book without seeing these details for what they are in the course of the continuing conflict as well as how the west etc. is supposed to see their ally.
Cohen does come back around during the conclusion of the book to voice some ideas that he has for potentially healing some of the wounds between Israel and the Arabs, but it's a tall order at best. Maybe he will have the opportunity to be in a position to work at this someday. Only time will tell.
The introduction almost put me off with its unnecessary lovefest of Donald Trump, speaking about him as if he were some incredible political savior and international freedom-fighter. I found that whole section worthy of a hearty eye roll. I persisted though, as I sought facts over the loaded-word hooplah.
As I got into the first few chapters of the book and the text got more into the details of the Mossad and Cohen’s former and more recent roles, I was incredibly interested to learn how this establishment was formed and able to earn such a revered reputation.
Overall, there was a lot of interesting information about the history of the Mossad and the drive and dedication that it takes to be a part of it, along with the why. It wasn’t as in-depth as I was initially hoping and expecting, but seeing the details from Cohen’s point of view did give it a fascinating edge as he shared his personal experiences with the institution and in collaboration with other nations.
Some food for thought that I came across: Chapter 7 had some very thought-provoking passages which I found to be applicable to the Palestinians as well (although Cohen obviously doesn’t make the connection). I always find it interesting how Israel only sees its own existential crisis and not the ones they are perpetrating.
Page 127 and some of the passages about the Scroll of Independence also struck me as a bit ironic in what Israel (and Cohen) believes they are following and how they have actually treated non-Jews over the course of time in their country. I know this was not a history of Israel and the conflicts within its borders, but after all of the other readings I have done this year, it was hard to read these positions in the book without seeing these details for what they are in the course of the continuing conflict as well as how the west etc. is supposed to see their ally.
Cohen does come back around during the conclusion of the book to voice some ideas that he has for potentially healing some of the wounds between Israel and the Arabs, but it's a tall order at best. Maybe he will have the opportunity to be in a position to work at this someday. Only time will tell.
November 6, 2025
Yossi Cohen’s book, The Sword of Freedom, was different from other books I’ve read about the security establishment in Israel. There is so much going on in the world that we probably will never know about. There are constant threats to our lives, every single day, and part of society is completely dedicated to ensuring those threats do not materialise. We have much to be thankful for.
Cohen’s writing style was captivating. His personal upbringing and early life story are interesting. One might wonder what kind of person ends up being ‘head’ of one of the most revered intelligence agencies in the world. Mostly, as I learned, they start off like ordinary people - sitting next to you on the subway, behind you in line at the bank, etc. Hearing Cohen’s perspective on the international arena was fascinating: to have such a developed view of the world is, or was, his job. The author does not go into any great detail about his operations, for various reasons, which is frustrating at times, because I almost feel like he doesn’t say all that much.
I was slightly disappointed in the fact that the latter part of the book came off slightly like a campaign advertisement, as Cohen will likely run for PM, but after reading what he has to say, I let it go. In today’s day and age, being a politician requires creativity to stand out and not be instantly discarded. Cohen does have the benefit of being extremely effective in his work, in the public and private eye. I recommend this book to those who would like to take a look under the hood of state mechanics, and the role state intelligence plays in it. One of my good friends recommended Bill Burns’ book, which reads in a similar vein. I expect I will read it next!
Cohen’s writing style was captivating. His personal upbringing and early life story are interesting. One might wonder what kind of person ends up being ‘head’ of one of the most revered intelligence agencies in the world. Mostly, as I learned, they start off like ordinary people - sitting next to you on the subway, behind you in line at the bank, etc. Hearing Cohen’s perspective on the international arena was fascinating: to have such a developed view of the world is, or was, his job. The author does not go into any great detail about his operations, for various reasons, which is frustrating at times, because I almost feel like he doesn’t say all that much.
I was slightly disappointed in the fact that the latter part of the book came off slightly like a campaign advertisement, as Cohen will likely run for PM, but after reading what he has to say, I let it go. In today’s day and age, being a politician requires creativity to stand out and not be instantly discarded. Cohen does have the benefit of being extremely effective in his work, in the public and private eye. I recommend this book to those who would like to take a look under the hood of state mechanics, and the role state intelligence plays in it. One of my good friends recommended Bill Burns’ book, which reads in a similar vein. I expect I will read it next!
November 30, 2025
"The Sword of Freedom" by Yossi Cohen, former Director of Mossad, offers an insightful exploration of Israel's intelligence operations, blending faith, experience, and strategic thinking. Cohen, the first ultra-Orthodox Mossad chief, provides a frank account of using human sources and the ethical dilemmas of espionage, reflecting on his 42-year career alongside seven prime ministers and three U.S. presidents. The book recounts pivotal events, such as the theft of Iran’s nuclear files in 2018 and the influence on the Abraham Accords, while emphasizing that it is not a traditional memoir but an examination of the principles underlying Mossad's work. Cohen discusses deterrence, planning, and psychology as key to Israel's security, advocating for a proactive intelligence approach. He portrays Mossad as a diplomatic entity that fosters trust even among adversaries and critiques the West's reliance on technology over human understanding.
Through anecdotes of secret missions and diplomatic interactions, Cohen highlights the significance of personal connection and moral integrity in intelligence. His reflections are especially relevant in a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape, framing deterrence as a blend of military preparedness and mental resolve. "The Sword of Freedom" serves as a profound commentary on leadership and national identity, underlining the importance of clarity and determination as Israel's ultimate strengths.
Through anecdotes of secret missions and diplomatic interactions, Cohen highlights the significance of personal connection and moral integrity in intelligence. His reflections are especially relevant in a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape, framing deterrence as a blend of military preparedness and mental resolve. "The Sword of Freedom" serves as a profound commentary on leadership and national identity, underlining the importance of clarity and determination as Israel's ultimate strengths.
November 15, 2025
While I understand and even share some of the criticism regarding the underlying tone of the book (Cohen certainly does not attempt to hide his political ambitions) I still found it a compelling and highly engaging read. It offers a rare and fascinating look into the intricacies of espionage from one of the leading figures of what is arguably the world’s most effective and active intelligence agency. The emphasis on HUMINT has long been acknowledged, but few institutions have mastered it to the depth and sophistication that Mossad has, and Cohen illustrates this exceptionally well.
It was also refreshing to see his inclusive and forward-looking vision for Israel’s future. His long-standing relationships with global leaders, paired with his deep understanding of regional dynamics, could prove even more significant in the post-Gaza war landscape.
I genuinely hope he eventually steps into politics and emerges as a credible center-right alternative in Israel. If he does, I hope he succeeds where previous highly-touted figures ultimately fell short.
As someone who lives in the Middle East but is not Israeli, I can say with ease that the region would benefit from a new, visionary leader, one without the heavy baggage of the past, who can bring stability, pragmatism, and a fresh approach to one of the most complex political environments in the world.
It was also refreshing to see his inclusive and forward-looking vision for Israel’s future. His long-standing relationships with global leaders, paired with his deep understanding of regional dynamics, could prove even more significant in the post-Gaza war landscape.
I genuinely hope he eventually steps into politics and emerges as a credible center-right alternative in Israel. If he does, I hope he succeeds where previous highly-touted figures ultimately fell short.
As someone who lives in the Middle East but is not Israeli, I can say with ease that the region would benefit from a new, visionary leader, one without the heavy baggage of the past, who can bring stability, pragmatism, and a fresh approach to one of the most complex political environments in the world.
October 23, 2025
Given Yossi Cohen’s background as a former Mossad chief, I (naively) read this book expecting genuine insight into Israel’s intelligence operations — the kind of behind-the-scenes detail or fresh perspective that only someone at his level could provide. Unfortunately, the book doesn’t deliver on that front at all.
While it’s polished and clearly written, it offers almost nothing new about the Mossad, its inner workings, or any operations that haven’t already been publicly disclosed. Most of the stories are broad, sanitized summaries of events that have been covered in the media before, often without adding meaningful context or depth. It reads more like a safe, government-approved overview than an insider’s account. If you’re hoping for real revelations, operational insights, or anything that deepens understanding of how Mossad actually functions, you’ll likely be disappointed.
Overall, The Sword of Freedom is more of a personal reputation piece released in advance of a run for Prime Minister than a revealing memoir. It’s fine as a surface-level overview, but for anyone hoping to learn something substantial about Mossad or modern intelligence work, there’s nothing here you haven’t heard before.
While it’s polished and clearly written, it offers almost nothing new about the Mossad, its inner workings, or any operations that haven’t already been publicly disclosed. Most of the stories are broad, sanitized summaries of events that have been covered in the media before, often without adding meaningful context or depth. It reads more like a safe, government-approved overview than an insider’s account. If you’re hoping for real revelations, operational insights, or anything that deepens understanding of how Mossad actually functions, you’ll likely be disappointed.
Overall, The Sword of Freedom is more of a personal reputation piece released in advance of a run for Prime Minister than a revealing memoir. It’s fine as a surface-level overview, but for anyone hoping to learn something substantial about Mossad or modern intelligence work, there’s nothing here you haven’t heard before.
November 11, 2025
Less unveiling of classified information than I thought, but that is to be expected. Yossi is one of the architects of Israel's triumphs in 2015 onwards, such as his involvement in the Abraham Accord and his being the director of Mossad during the audacious stealing of the Iranian nuclear archive in 2018. Reading this book, I was impressed by his firm moral grounding from his religious background and his liberal views as a result of his philosophical studies. This book is also partly a pitch for a possible future bid for PM, so there are plenty of sales pitch too. There are plenty of interesting comments about world leaders too, he has a high opinion of Putin and many leaders of the Arab world, and interestingly put the blame of the Ukranian war largely in Zelenskyy's place for his lack of common sense in poking the Russian bear, while recognizing the unlawful nature of the Russian invasion. I think if Bibi wouldn't run again, he has a decent chance, although he is probably too straightforward/honest and not right wing enough to appeal to wider support in Israel.
October 28, 2025
The Mossad has always had such an air of mystery surround it and in many ways this didn't answer many questions, as is probably to be expected. But what we do get a glimpse of is just how many sacrifices need to be made by some at the Mossad. Yossi shares his mindset as he intercepts targets in enemy factions and wins their trust so that they will become informants with some parts of the book sounding as though they were taking right out of a spy novel. The Israeli intelligence network is fascinating and wide spreading, which really makes you wonder how it went so badly wrong in 2023. It's unfortunate because it does sound as if Yossi holds back his full views far too often, especially when touching on the events of October 2023 and the immediate reaction from Bibi - perhaps he doesn't want to burn bridges quite so soon.
November 2, 2025
The title is misleading as it kind of promises insights into the history of Israel, the workings of the Mossad, and operations against Hamas/Hezbollah and other enemies of the State of Israel.
I was suspicious when I bought it because I didn’t think that the head of Mossad would divulge information about their tactics, but went for it anyway.
The book is mostly an autobiography of Mr. Cohen, and not a particularly well-written one either. He is a fascinating person and definitely worth paying attention to, but the book just is not interesting enough. I have read that he wants to run for office; in which case the book makes sense.
But for me it did not contain anything I found particularly interesting or useful. The book “Rise and Kill First” is a much better book for someone interested in the history of the Mossad.
I was suspicious when I bought it because I didn’t think that the head of Mossad would divulge information about their tactics, but went for it anyway.
The book is mostly an autobiography of Mr. Cohen, and not a particularly well-written one either. He is a fascinating person and definitely worth paying attention to, but the book just is not interesting enough. I have read that he wants to run for office; in which case the book makes sense.
But for me it did not contain anything I found particularly interesting or useful. The book “Rise and Kill First” is a much better book for someone interested in the history of the Mossad.
October 14, 2025
Review of The Sword of Freedom: Israel, Mossad, and the Secret War
The book mixes too much of “today and yesterday,” with long sections that feel self-serving and self-promotional. I personally found Benjamin Netanyahu’s books more engaging and balanced than this one by Yossi. Considering Yossi’s remarkable career and achievements, I expected a more focused and insightful account of intelligence operations rather than extended reflections about himself. There’s potential for a truly captivating story here, but this version leans too heavily on personal narrative instead of the action and depth readers might hope for.
The book mixes too much of “today and yesterday,” with long sections that feel self-serving and self-promotional. I personally found Benjamin Netanyahu’s books more engaging and balanced than this one by Yossi. Considering Yossi’s remarkable career and achievements, I expected a more focused and insightful account of intelligence operations rather than extended reflections about himself. There’s potential for a truly captivating story here, but this version leans too heavily on personal narrative instead of the action and depth readers might hope for.
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November 17, 2025Interesting Point Of Views
This book is essentially a primer for Cohen's political future. It's very interesting. It provides an insider look at Israel's modern intelligence services and the politics that guide them. One thing, Cohen likes Puten, believes he's 2 steps ahead in his strategic thinking. I'm not clear how he came to this conclusion. This war with Ukraine was a huge, strategic error. It has exposed Russian military weakness that weren't known before the war, made them beholden to China, and severely weakened Russian influence in the Middle East. But Cohen likes the guy. I think it's because Puten charmed Cohen. Cohen almost seems star struck by Puten.
This book is essentially a primer for Cohen's political future. It's very interesting. It provides an insider look at Israel's modern intelligence services and the politics that guide them. One thing, Cohen likes Puten, believes he's 2 steps ahead in his strategic thinking. I'm not clear how he came to this conclusion. This war with Ukraine was a huge, strategic error. It has exposed Russian military weakness that weren't known before the war, made them beholden to China, and severely weakened Russian influence in the Middle East. But Cohen likes the guy. I think it's because Puten charmed Cohen. Cohen almost seems star struck by Puten.
January 4, 2026
Going into this book you are armed knowing that Mossad's secretive operations will never be discussed in much detail yet you hope Yossi will be able to peel back the curtain to give us civilians a peek into what working for one of the top intelligence agencies is like. He does this adequately although with the details light on it feels like the chapters are unnecessarily padded out and it was a challenge to finish.
Much of the book details how wonderfully fantastic Yossi is, at seemingly all things - a memoir to upcoming political ambitions one might assume. You wouldn't be missing much to give this title a miss.
Much of the book details how wonderfully fantastic Yossi is, at seemingly all things - a memoir to upcoming political ambitions one might assume. You wouldn't be missing much to give this title a miss.
November 17, 2025
I personally did not really like this book. I don't really like Non-fiction books a whole lot, but there are some out there that I do enjoy and like reading, but this one was not one of them. There were some good parts in the book, which is why this isn't a one-star, but I guess this book wasn't really my type. This book is more like a memoir; it's mainly about Israel and its operations. The book also includes who the author is and how modern Israel is impacting his life currently. This book is good in itself, it's just that I didn't like it, considering the genres I do enjoy reading.
October 18, 2025
part spy memoir, part political manifesto, incredibly ego-forward in a classically israeli way (him bragging about beating pompeo at a shooting contest is really something). Interesting seeing someone who wanted to scream to the rooftops about how noble and professional his work is for so long finally getting the chance to do so. Best read in parallel with rise and kill first, a journalist's take on the mossad.
November 1, 2025
Book meant as an advertisement for author's political career. Probably that's why he's so respectful of all the world's autocrats and dictators. I would understand him praising Trump, who's done considerable favours for Israel, but being fan of Putin, who supported Hamas on 7 October... Weird. And also, I would have expected a better judgment on Ukraine from a man of his knowledge and experience. Comparing it to Finland, really? Disappointment.
November 1, 2025
I was expecting spy stories; why and how the MOSSAD became the second most powerful spy agency in the world. I got very little of that. What makes for a great spy, what kind of jobs are spies involved in, how is the MOSSAD able to get information and carry out missions that seem impossible to the layperson? At least give me hypothetical or analogies. I am sure you are a great spy and leader Mr. Cohen but this is a book about geopolitics not about spies.
November 18, 2025
Yossi explains that Israel is not great at communicating on the global stage. He wants to get the truth out there and the world will finally understand the plight of the Israeli people. To his credit he does a good job explaining his duty to his country, but it falls flat IMO. Flat because he built his career by lying to people and he never mentions any of the atrocities committed by the IDF.
Or perhaps he's simply gas lighting. He speaks of other genocides and proceeds to talk about the biggest problem we are all facing...climate change. Oh brother....
Or perhaps he's simply gas lighting. He speaks of other genocides and proceeds to talk about the biggest problem we are all facing...climate change. Oh brother....
December 23, 2025
Fascinating look into the Zionist mindset, for better or worse. Not really about spy craft though has the odd interesting titbit. Since the author can’t talk about his time in the Mossad very much at all, he would have been much better off expanding his very interesting insights into geopolitics.
December 27, 2025
Not the most expected from a head of intelligence services yet some how not bad, lots of his opinions about adversaries specially Iran can be mirror-imaged easily yet I think we could witness another Isaac Rabin if he is true to his words…..I just felt the last two chapters are his campaign for PM
January 12, 2026
A fascinating look at current Israel and the life of Yossi Cohen in the Mossad. It also had a lot of leadership and life advice that was very fruitful. I did like “Target Tehran” more than this, but it’s a very good book.
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