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The Gatekeepers: Inside Israel's Internal Security Agency
The companion to the Oscar-nominated documentary, an unparalleled look inside Israel’s security establishment.
Imagine the following You have just received a tip that six suicide bombers are making their way into the heart of Israel’s major cities, each one to a different city, to set off an explosion in the most crowded centers of population. How far would you go to stop the attack? How would you sleep at night if you failed and one of the six terrorists reached his target and murdered dozens of innocent people? What would you do the next morning to extract your country from this murderous vicious cycle? For six former heads of the Shin Bet (Israel’s internal security service), these were not hypothetical questions, but the realities and tormenting way of life for decades.
In The Gatekeepers, which is based on extensive and lengthy interviews conducted to produce the award-winning film of the same name, six former heads of the Shin Bet speak with unprecedented candor on how they handled the toughest and tensest moments of their lives; on matters of life and death; on the missions they were involved in; on the historic opportunities for a better future that were missed by the leaders under whom they served, and the scars each of them bears until this very day.
The Gatekeepers is a piercing and cruel self-examination of Israel’s security establishment and of a nation that has lived by its sword for so many years but has lost its faith in its ability to lay it down.
Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
Imagine the following You have just received a tip that six suicide bombers are making their way into the heart of Israel’s major cities, each one to a different city, to set off an explosion in the most crowded centers of population. How far would you go to stop the attack? How would you sleep at night if you failed and one of the six terrorists reached his target and murdered dozens of innocent people? What would you do the next morning to extract your country from this murderous vicious cycle? For six former heads of the Shin Bet (Israel’s internal security service), these were not hypothetical questions, but the realities and tormenting way of life for decades.
In The Gatekeepers, which is based on extensive and lengthy interviews conducted to produce the award-winning film of the same name, six former heads of the Shin Bet speak with unprecedented candor on how they handled the toughest and tensest moments of their lives; on matters of life and death; on the missions they were involved in; on the historic opportunities for a better future that were missed by the leaders under whom they served, and the scars each of them bears until this very day.
The Gatekeepers is a piercing and cruel self-examination of Israel’s security establishment and of a nation that has lived by its sword for so many years but has lost its faith in its ability to lay it down.
Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
440 pages, Hardcover
First published August 14, 2014
51 people are currently reading
198 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 3, 2017
Briefly put: a rather self-serving dialog, but quite telling about the mindset of this conscienceless group of state-sponsored racists.
May 7, 2022
"What do the Intellects of Shin Bet think about various incidents that shaped Israel's future?"
The book has interviews with 6 Shin Bet Directors. The Directors also give a brief about their childhood and background. The interviews cover their personal standpoints on 2 States policy, various operations they took part in like the Green Island Raid, how they assist in protecting the citizens of Israel from the Jihadi and Islamic radicals, Rabin's assassination attempt, abduction of Israeli soldiers and so on.
Some of the anecdotes will make you laugh at the folly of human beings. For example, there is one anecdote when a suicide bomber could not cause devastation but ended up in hospital. When he opened his eyes the officer asked him if he knows where he is. The suicide bomber said that it must be heaven. The officer tried to convince him that he wasn't in heaven but in a hospital. Finally, the officer asked him whether the suicide bomber knows who he is. The suicide bomber said that the officer is a Jew and the officer asked him if Jews are supposed to be in Heaven. The suicide bomber then realised that he is still on Earth because no Jew is supposed to be in Heaven.
I laughed really hard at this point!
I saw the documentary after reading the book.
And I would like to recommend the book.
The book has interviews with 6 Shin Bet Directors. The Directors also give a brief about their childhood and background. The interviews cover their personal standpoints on 2 States policy, various operations they took part in like the Green Island Raid, how they assist in protecting the citizens of Israel from the Jihadi and Islamic radicals, Rabin's assassination attempt, abduction of Israeli soldiers and so on.
Some of the anecdotes will make you laugh at the folly of human beings. For example, there is one anecdote when a suicide bomber could not cause devastation but ended up in hospital. When he opened his eyes the officer asked him if he knows where he is. The suicide bomber said that it must be heaven. The officer tried to convince him that he wasn't in heaven but in a hospital. Finally, the officer asked him whether the suicide bomber knows who he is. The suicide bomber said that the officer is a Jew and the officer asked him if Jews are supposed to be in Heaven. The suicide bomber then realised that he is still on Earth because no Jew is supposed to be in Heaven.
I laughed really hard at this point!
I saw the documentary after reading the book.
And I would like to recommend the book.
May 17, 2017
Very fascinating content!
YET, you must understand that this is basically a transcript of many interviews. Not to minimize the sheer unique and rare nature of the interviews, but you have to wade through much dialogue to get "tidbits".
I didn't finish the very last part of the book as it was just more of the same.
The star rating reflects on its ability to hold interest. The book was well written, relevant and again, very fascinating content.
This is more of a written historical record than a book. If memory serves me correct the author even says that at the beginning.
I DO recommend, just get ready to slog.
YET, you must understand that this is basically a transcript of many interviews. Not to minimize the sheer unique and rare nature of the interviews, but you have to wade through much dialogue to get "tidbits".
I didn't finish the very last part of the book as it was just more of the same.
The star rating reflects on its ability to hold interest. The book was well written, relevant and again, very fascinating content.
This is more of a written historical record than a book. If memory serves me correct the author even says that at the beginning.
I DO recommend, just get ready to slog.
September 29, 2018
Definitely a collector's item
This a book anyone with any interest in the Jewish-Palestinian conflict must read.
It explores the hard questions with those who have wrestled, breathe, and struggled with these.
Quite illuminating.
This a book anyone with any interest in the Jewish-Palestinian conflict must read.
It explores the hard questions with those who have wrestled, breathe, and struggled with these.
Quite illuminating.
December 29, 2025
I wanted to like it, but this is not it. It's about Shin Bet managers speaking out yet they can't reveal anything concrete like a mission, plan, concrete strategies. Hence it becomes a ton of personal statements like "we needed to make hard decisions like killing a terrorist and it was hard for me to make these mystery decisions". Rinse and repeat 100 times over with different people all tooting their own horn bragging about how complex the job is yet all they can reveal is that "it was a complex decision and you need to be smart to make it".
Introspection diaries basically. You do get some facts about strategies like them wanting to kill terrorists rather than capture at times. And using missiles when you are not on the ground with agents. Like Gaza today. While in West Bank PA and IDF can make arrests meaning fewer civilian casualties. They learn all names in a village and try to make people talk. Even using some sort of torture that is still legal against terrorists. It really feels pointless as the documentary has all these points in it so why even write a book? There are no factual details here.
You may be a tad interested in the concepts yet it's so shallow no intellectual person will learn much new here.
Introspection diaries basically. You do get some facts about strategies like them wanting to kill terrorists rather than capture at times. And using missiles when you are not on the ground with agents. Like Gaza today. While in West Bank PA and IDF can make arrests meaning fewer civilian casualties. They learn all names in a village and try to make people talk. Even using some sort of torture that is still legal against terrorists. It really feels pointless as the documentary has all these points in it so why even write a book? There are no factual details here.
You may be a tad interested in the concepts yet it's so shallow no intellectual person will learn much new here.
June 15, 2016
An honest look inside the Shin Bet from the mouths of the chiefs themselves. An interesting and enlightening take on the Isreali - Palestinian issues and what is / is not accepted in the fight against terrorism. Brutally honest!
November 13, 2016
A must read (and a documentary to watch) if you're interested in actions of
Israeli Intelligence, and the fight against terrorism in Middle East.
Israeli Intelligence, and the fight against terrorism in Middle East.
Read
June 28, 2016Review by Libby K. White for the Jewish Book Council.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews