The Ghost Warriors: Inside Israel's Undercover War Against Suicide Terrorism

by Samuel M. Katz

The untold story of Ya’mas, the secret special forces team that infiltrated the Palestinians during the Second Intifada.

It was the deadliest terror campaign ever mounted against a nation in modern times: the al-Aqsa, or Second, Intifada. This is the untold story of how Israel fought back with an elite force of undercover operatives, drawn from the nation’s diverse backgrounds and ethnicities—and united in their ability to walk among the enemy as no one else dared.
Beginning in late 2000, as black smoke rose from burning tires and rioters threw rocks in the streets, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Arafat’s Palestinian Authority embarked on a strategy of sending their terrorists to slip undetected into Israel’s towns and cities to set the country ablaze, unleashing suicide attacks at bus stops, discos, pizzerias—wherever people gathered.
But Israel fielded some of the most capable and cunning special operations forces in the world. The Ya’mas, Israel National Police Border Guard undercover counterrorists special operations units became Israel’s eyes-on-target response. Launched on intelligence provided by the Shin Bet, indigenous Arabic-speaking Dovrim, or “Speakers,” operating in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Gaza infiltrated the treacherous confines where the terrorists lived hidden in plain sight, and set the stage for the intrepid tactical specialists who often found themselves under fire and outnumbered in their effort to apprehend those responsible for the carnage inside Israel. This is their compelling true story: a tale of daring and deception that could happen only in the powder keg of the modern Middle East.
INCLUDES PHOTOGRAPHS AND A MAP

Genres: Israel, History, Nonfiction, Military Fiction, Middle East, Politics, Audiobook

320 pages, Hardcover

First published February 9, 2016

Reviews

[Randy Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm pretty sure there's a better book buried in here somewhere. It's much shorter and comprehensibly organized.

[Plajuey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I put this (audio)book down about a quarter of the way in. The topic itself is interesting, how the Israeli security and special forces units work under cover in Palestinian areas and even within terrorist organizations. Some of these Israeli security organizations have units that train and speak in Arabic, and go to great lengths to blend in to specific local communities.

What I found off-putting was that the author wasted a lot of time painting hagiographic portraits of the members of these special units, especially particular individuals who (readers would soon find) were killed in the line of duty. Yes, these guys are badass and what they do is impressive, but (IMHO) the focus was too much on the men themselves rather than on the tactics and situations that they deal with.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

A riveting read on the Ya'mas, Israel's elite undercover border police forces which operated deep into East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza Strip during the Second Intifada. As the author spent a great deal of time with the men of the Ya'mas and has great respect for the tireless and relentless work that they do, this has a noticeably pro-Israel tone. Nevertheless, the level of detail of the Ya'mas' operational achievements and tactics, as well as shedding a light on the humans behind the balaclavas (a diverse mixture of Druze, Bedouins, immigrants from the USSR and Israeli Jews), make this a unique read. The book also reads like a thriller, which made it hard to put down at times. Highly recommended to those interested in the Arab-Israeli conflict.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are countless books regaling the exploits of the Mossad and the IDF special forces. This one instead focuses on the Ya"mas, the elite yet often overlooked undercover commando unit of Israel's paramilitary border police, primarily during the Second Intifada. We get to know some of the characters involved in this shadowy and dangerous world, with many interesting operational details that didn't make it into the news accounts at the time.

The writing is better suited to a cheesy military thriller, with over the top descriptions of actual people such as "hard as steel and sharp as a razor." But worse than that is the way the book is organized. Rather than follow a chronological account, the book is divided into three parts to match the command structure of the Ya"sam with separate units in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Gaza. Thus major events are repeated three times (or more, as some of them are also mentioned in the introduction and the conclusion) and it's hard to line up what actually happened when, as the timeline resets each time we enter a new area. As a result, the book ends up describing a series of daring independent exploits, rather than shed light on what should have been a strategic campaign.

In addition to sensationalizing the violence and ignoring the legality of summary execution by death squads, never once is the effectiveness of the policy questioned. The targets that Ya"mas pursues are identified by the Shin Bet as "terrorists", and that's all the evidence needed for the "wanted dead or alive" operations. The potential futility of playing "whack-a-mole" in which each slain terrorist leads to two more taking his place seemingly never crosses the author's mind, even as he recounts instances in which the operations he describes lead directly to deadly reprisal attacks.

[Shane · Rating 3 out of 5]

The subject of the book was very good. It tells the story of one of the more interesting and lesser known special operations units in Israel who have had a crucial role in the events of the 90's and 2000's. When the book does go into detail about their exploits it can be very exciting.

However....
The author's style made this a difficult read. He seems to spend a lot of time describing the same things over and over again and jumps around a lot between ideas without much reference or transition for the reader making it difficult to follow along.

[False · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grippng account of the true life exploits of YA'MAS ,the Israeli border guard counter terrorist force. Many books have been written, detailing the operations of army special forces(Sayeret Mat'kal). but this is a little know unit. As with all of Samuel Katz's books, this is a very readable exciting narrative history. The description of elite operatives (who are arab speaking) infiltrating the hostile areas of Gaza,West bank and Jerusalem to apprehend the intifada terrorists(especially the suicide bombers) is compelling reading. I highly recommend this book .

[xtine]

This book centers on the Ya'mas, Israel's Border Guard counter-terrorism squad, and their activities during the al-Aqsa (or Second) Intifada. During 2000-2005, various Palestinian terrorist groups including Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Arafat’s Palestinian Authority send suicide bombers to attack unassuming citizens at grocery stores, bus stops, hotels, discos, etc. Ya'mas blended in and infiltrated treacherous confines in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Gaza to prevent attacks. Crazy stories and truly sad as the violence seems never ending.

[B Howe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating read, actually. While it covers a serious topic, it was written in a prosaic enough style that is was understandable. I certainly learned more than I could have imagined about Infitada, Gaza Strip, West Bank and how undercover agents navigate their territory. By the end of this book you'll have a much better understanding of differences between Mossad and Shin Bet.

[Cherise Wolas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually, the book is about 380 pages, not 320.

A fascinating look at the undercover units in Israel during the two infitadas. While politics is clearly part of this, the focus was on the men and the operations, and I found it intriguing and educational.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every time I think there is an elite, there evolves an elite of an elite. And from them come another elite. This is depressing as I pursued a "well-rounded" strategy for so long. I want to find the thing that motivates me to perform as well as these forces do.

Amazing all the way around.

[Katelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall an amazing story of how Israel fought back in a war waged on civilians by an enemy who hid among it's own civilians.
Good for westerners to read who want to learn about the Mideastern conflict.

[Omri Flicker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a tough book to read. Very detailed record of anti-terror operations of the Israeli army and police force. Not what I was expecting and having lived through most of the events covered in the book, I remember the new coverage of the time. Tough to read.

[Enra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Instead of telling readers how great and awesome someone is, how about telling us about their exploits so we can judge ourselves. Then again, maybe this book is not for the interested but rather the gloating

[Dale · Rating 3 out of 5]

A succession of stories about direct action or raids conducted by Israeli special forces.

[Miette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was like reading episodes of “Fauda”.

[Foxglove · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love Fauda, you should read this book. It's one of the best books on counter-terrorism, and the new updated edition is the cherry on top. (Yes, that is a pun from the book) The story is told with a deft hand, discussing the operations like a high-speed thriller, but never losing sight of the fact that these were real people with real families. The prose is smooth, the pace quick and the research sublime.

Some stories are heartbreaking. Some triumphant. Each one is worth reading and gives many lessons. However, my favorite lessons were:

1. Do not letting the world define you. Stand in defiance of society’s neat little boxes. The best of the ghost warriors were often those who society had written off as teens, those who would have never made the elite units, but found a place where their talents shone. They may have been misfits, but when they found where they did fit, they rose to the top.

2. Be strong when you feel weak by focusing on what matters. On my first reading, I was in such deep depression and this book helped me claw my way out. Sahar Shyne and Yaakov Berman lived in my head, telling me to focus on the mission of getting better, no time for anything but the mission.

This is the book I recommend to everyone.

[Jeffrey (Akiva) Savett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learned a lot about an unsung part of the IDF. The stories of each operation and battle were tremendously compelling. The book obviously takes an admiring view of the IDF, but unlike some others I've read, Katz manages not to view into hagiography. It's important to note, however, that this is NOT a book about the Middle East situation in general or even Israeli policy in particular. It's specifically about the Ya'mas, the National Police Border Guard, and their methodology and history of fighting terrorism.

[Stephen M. Raffle · Rating 5 out of 5]

good

Good book showing the danger of YAMAS operatives. This is the true story behind the Israeli Netflix television series Fauda