عن طريق الخداع

by Victor Ostrovsky, فيكتور أوستروفسكي, هشام عبد الله (Translator)

The #1 NY Times bestseller the Israeli foreign intelligence agency, Mossad, tried to ban. By Way of Deception is the true story of an officer in Israel's most secret agency:
Author's Forward
Prologue: Operation Sphinx
Recruitment
School Days
Freshmen
Sophomores
Rookies
The Belgian Table
Hairpiece
Hail & Farewell
Strella
Carlos
Exocet
Checkmate
Helping Arafat
Only in America
Operation Moses
Harbor Insurance
Beirut
Epilogue
Appendices
Glossary of Terms
Index

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Espionage, Politics, Israel, Biography, Middle East

311 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1990

Reviews

[Mark Colenutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book caused a stir on its publication and has largely been forgotten since, but it may never be surpassed as an exposé of a secret service.

Israel's Mossad is regarded as the best in the world, which may not be a flattering remark when you discover what they get up to and how their dynamics work. Don't forget, this is not a democratic organisation, but rather the overseer of one.

It is the creator of its own claustrophobic trappings. Once you enter the organisation you can never leave, but that is precisely what this writer did, and then he went on to write about it in an international bestseller. Not very secret now.

The reader is taken on a no-holds-barred journey through the secret service from initiation right through operations until the author's eventual exit from the force.

With such an organisation standing behind the seat of power, it does make you question who is pulling the strings and how such a group can be tamed by mere political decisions. Governments change; secret services stay put and have no intention of leaving.

Certain elements from this book have also appeared in Brad Pitt's CIA training sequence in the film 'Spy Game'.

The book was written with a democratic purpose in mind, aiming to get the truth out despite his life being on the line. For that alone it is worthy of being read and recommended.

On finishing the read and reflecting on the book your last question must be, that's the Mossad now what about the secret service in my country? If you don't ask yourself this then you have understood nothing about what the book is really trying to say.

[Mahdi Lotfi · Rating 2 out of 5]

راه نیرنگ نوشته «ویکتور استروفسکی» مأمور سابق موساد، است . وی در این کتاب می نویسد: «موساد (سرویس اطلاعات خارجی) از جوخه های تروری سود می جوید که نام سازمانی و رمزی آن ها «کیدون» است؛ جوخه های متشکل از زبده ترین و بی رحم ترین نیروهای عملیاتی موساد که وظیفة ترور و قتل دشمنان رژیم صهیونیستی را در خارج از مرزهای فلسطین اشغالی برعهده دارند.»
از جملة این ترورها، ترور رهبران گروه «سپتامبر سیاه» پس از حادثه المپیک مونیخ در سال 1972، طی عملیاتی با نام «خشم خدا» ـ که «استیون اسپیلبرگ» بر مبنای آن، فیلم «مونیخ» را در سال 2005 جلوی دوربین برد ـ، ترور شهید «فتحی شقاقی» در مالت، ترور «خالد مشعل» در اردن و از همه مهم تر ترور «رفیق حریری» در لبنان در سال 2004 است که در واقع حکم مبدأ پروژة حذف و خلع سلاح حزب الله را دارند.
به همین نسبت در «شاباک» (سرویس امنیت داخلی رژیم صهیونیستی) و «آمان» (سرویس اطلاعات نظامی)، و واحد «دوودان» نیز واحد هایی مشابه کیدون موساد طراحی شده است. چنان چه نیروهای کیدون شاباک، مسئولیت طراحی و انجام ترور رهبران انتفاضه را برعهده داشته اند که از جمله مهم ترین آن ها می توان به ترور شهید مهندس «یحیی عیاش» (فرمان ده گردان های «عزالدین قسام» حماس)، شهید شیخ «احمد یاسین» (رهبر معنوی حماس) و شهید دکتر «عبدالعزیز رنتیسی» اشاره کرد. در این کتاب همچنین به مهاجرت یهودیان از افریقا و جاسوسی های مختلف و ترورهای بسیاری اشاره شده است.
این کتاب را ویکتور استروفسکی نوشته که یک صهیونیستی دو آتشه است وی 4 سال در موساد خدمت کرد واز باهوش ترین افراد موساد بود ولی وی به دلیل برخی اقدامات موساد و انتقادهای وارد بر آن مجبور به ترک آن شد ودست به افشاگری اقدامات موساد زد این کتاب در سال 1990 جنجالی ترین کتاب لقب گرفت و فروشی افسانه ای داشت تنها در روز اول فروش 325 هزار نسخه از آن در آمریکا فروش رفت این کتاب تا مدتهای طولانی پرفروشترین کتاب غیر داستانی بود.
از افشاگری های مهم استروفسکی می توان به :چگونگی کشته شدن صدها سرباز آمریکایی و فرانسوی در حمله انتحاری به مقر آمریکایی ها در بیروت که موساد به خوبی از آن خبر داشت ولی آن را فاش نکرد.
روابط جنسی در موساد که بسیار بی شرمانه بود.
مداخلات موساد در سازمان ملل
تعلیم و تسلیح گرو ههای یهودی در آمریکا و اروپا و …
کنترل تمام مکلمات سری کشور های جهان
تجارت موساد با تقلب و تر فندهای اطلاعاتی
آموزش نیرو های جنگ طلب و تروریستی و ضد اسلامی و ...

[محمد هانى · Rating 4 out of 5]

كتاب مخادع-كونه من تأليف ضابط مخابرات سابق (:،صادم-لم أكن أعلم أنهم بارعون الى هذاالحد-،يعتبر ضروره لمن يبحثون عن معرفة كيف تعمل أجهزة الاستخبارات لحماية مصالح الأيدولوجيات التى تؤمن بها.أكثر ما أعجبنى هو حجم التفاصيل الصغيره فى حياتناوالتى فى عالم المخابرات قد تكون محددةً لمصائر الكثير من الأشخاص وأحياناً-بلا مبالغه-الدول.هذا الكتاب غير فكرتى عن اجهزة المخابرات من مجرد أساطير لا تٌصدق الى واقع حاضر فى حياة كل منا بطريقةأو بأخرى.

[Stephen · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Some parts of this book were really fascinating. I especially liked the recruiment/training section in the early part of the book together with the desciption of how the Mossad is organized. You could tell that these sections were certainly written by someone who knew what they were talking about.

While the "operational" sections were also interesting, I found my enjoyment was hindered by my inability to be certain of the accuracy of the accounts in this section. Even so, it was still an interesting read and I plan to read the second book by Ostrovsky, The Other Side of Deception: A Rogue Agent Exposes the Mossad's Secret Agenda.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a troubling book. By Way of Deception, told to Claire Hoy by former Mossad agent Victor Ostrovsky, chronicles not only Ostrovsky’s four years in training as an agent for Israel’s elite intelligence agency, but also a variety of related activities occurring both within Israel and throughout the world. Form the picture he paints, it seems that many international crises of the 1970s and 80s involved the Mossad to a much greater extent than anyone – even the Israeli government – was ever aware.

That the book is 20 years out of date gives it far less a sense of urgency than it probably once had. When it was originally published, the events described within were still current events, and were very much on everyone’s mind. Now the book reads more like a history text. Nevertheless, the material covered is still quite fascinating, and Ostrovsky presents a different perspective than I’m sure most people had access to from media current in the late 70s and early 80s.

Whether Ostrovsky is an entirely reliable narrator is up for debate. For one thing, he reiterates repeatedly that those who have gone through the same training with him have learned never to tell the entire truth, or to tell a straight story. It thus becomes quite difficult to determine the accuracy of his accounts, especially since there is no real way to verify the information (unless you are a Mossad agent – and even then, it seems that the information may be compromised or manipulated). Furthermore, Ostrovsky’s motivation for writing this book is never made entirely clear. Though he claims to want to help Israel by revealing this information, it seems that most readers would use this text as further fodder for anger or hatred, rather than for any positive purpose. Ostrovsky does not conclude the narrative with any sort of overarching theme or message – he just sort of stops relating anecdotes when he catches up with the present.

If what Ostrovsky relates in this book is at all true, it would be nice to see some sort of oversight imposed upon the erratic and surreptitious Mossad. But revealing a nation’s intelligence secrets to the general public does not seem to have any direct benefits for the country whose secrets are being revealed. I have to wonder, then, whether Ostrovsky is instead using this narrative as a platform for boasting, for showing off, for letting everyone know how much he knows, and that he was sufficiently strong-willed not to get roped into the group-think that has become a danger to the political health of the Mossad. If he had truly wanted to help Israel, wouldn’t he be better off sharing this information with the Israeli government?

Despite my criticisms of the book’s apparent failure to achieve its purported purpose, it was an enjoyable and interesting read (though rather long). I learned quite a bit about the international political climate in the 1970s and 80s, and was fascinated to learn how such a small organization can accomplish so much. Some of the Mossad’s tactics – if indeed Ostrovsky’s reporting is true – were quite fascinating. I’m torn between recommending this book widely and hoping it slips quietly into the background.

Ostrovsky, Victor and Claire Hoy. By Way of Deception. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press, 1990. 0-312-05613-3

[Edward]

“If the claims in the 1990s tell-all bestsellers of Mossad defector Victor Ostrovsky can be credited, Israel even considered the assassination of President George H.W. Bush in 1992 for his threats to cut off financial aid to Israel during a conflict over West Bank settlement policies, and I have been informed that the Bush Administration took those reports quite seriously at the time.”
-Ron Unz, “How Israel Killed the Kennedys” March 24,2025

[Hagar · Rating 3 out of 5]

A spy memoir of sorts, here Ostrovsky details his recruitment and subsequent work for the Mossad. He 'exposes' the inner operations of Israeli forces and its deceptive workings. It is a critique of the Israeli government, which allows its intelligence officers to operate without any fear of consequences. As for the veracity of Ostrovsky's claims, I think the state of Israel's attempt to ban the book and lobby against this author shows that maybe there is some kernel of truth here. It's endlessly fascinating to read regardless.

If Ostrovsky's claims are true, the Mossad's alleged activities are staggering. The Israeli intelligence agency would be implicated in illegal drug trafficking, spying on the US, sabotaging peace accords, and promoting international conflicts by supplying arms and misinformation to opposing sides.

Furthermore, Ostrovsky alleges that the Mossad conducts regular assassinations, often disregarding innocent bystanders, and manipulates intelligence agencies worldwide, including those in the US. He also claims the Mossad influences Israeli domestic politics to ensure right-wing support and resells US military supplies for substantial profits.

Ostrovsky's allegations also touch on the Mossad's involvement in the Iran-Contra affair and its support for right-wing military dictatorships and secret armed cells globally, including in the US.

While learning about the techniques used in "tradecraft" can be fascinating, some of the events described are undeniably ruthless and inhumane. Gruesome incidents are described, including the brutal beating and eventual execution of a bound PLO captive, the murder of a nuclear physicist who refused cooperation, and the subsequent killing of the escort hired to persuade him.

Victor Ostrovsky's book is a gripping exposé, offering a unique insider perspective on the Mossad. One of the most striking aspects is Ostrovsky's account of the Mossad's role in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, a claim that adds fuel to the ongoing debate about the agency's involvement. 

Despite exposing the Mossad's questionable activities, Ostrovsky's narrative isn't entirely condemnatory. Instead, it serves as a call to action, urging the Israeli government to establish oversight and control over intelligence, which is not entirely surprising. Still interesting to read.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It only took me 6 years to finish! I still ask myself why. The first part of the book is riveting. I blew through it. It's all about Ostrovsky's training as a Mossad officer.

Part 2 gets into the operations he and/or the Mossad was involved in. Many of these took place in the 1980s. For some reason, I started to lose interest in Part 2 and eventually put the book down. I think I lost interest because it's difficult to track all the people and places involved, especially since these people are no longer in the news.

I finally decided to finish and read the final 20% of the book today. The final chapters are actually pretty interesting as they detail some pretty intense (and deceptive) Mossad operations. Again, there are many names and places the average reader won't recognize, and they are usually only relevant for one chapter. So it's tough to keep everything straight. Nevertheless, still interesting reading.

The biggest takeaway from this book is that the Mossad is a powerful intelligence agency that has international reach and will stop at nothing to further the interests of Israel.

[Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book came out in 1990, and I've been sort of half-assedly planning on reading it ever since. Unfortunately, it was a huge disappointment. The main problem is that the author doesn't differentiate between his own experiences and things he's reporting from other sources; it becomes fairly obvious when you're reading it that most of the material is lifted -- whether from rumor, innuendo, scuttlebutt or legitimate reporting in other sources, I don't have the foggiest idea, because Ostrovsky's got all the citation chops of a fourth-rate potboiler, not a serious academic or political book. It comes across as hearsay garbage. What's more, while Ostrovsky may have broken some news at the time of first publication, there's nothing in here that was the least bit shocking to me; much of it felt INCREDIBLY repetitious, especially in the second half.

Pretty much everything interesting is confined to the first half, where Ostrovsky discusses his training in Mossad operations; there, the details of spycraft are FASCINATING. Had the book been half as long, I would have given it 4 stars, probably. Had it been three-quarters as long, maybe three stars. But after the halfway mark, Ostrovsky just drones on and on and on and on with the same bland scandals that are basically hearsay. It ends up sounding like "Shooting the shit with the Mossad." He he seems to be reporting most of these stories either unreferenced or taken from mainstream news stories, but damned if I can tell which is which.

What really made me feel burned, though, is that after a badly-paced second half that LITERALLY PUT ME TO SLEEP ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHILE I STRUGGLED THROUGH IT, Ostrovsky tries to wrap it all up with a sort of vapid statement of his moral rectitude. He references an old joke that the worst thing a Mossad officer can say to another Mossad officer is "I hope I read about you in the papers." He suggests that maybe it takes the light of public inquiry to change the Mossad's ways.

Yeah...it all seems so quaint, post-9/11, post-Gulf II, post-Afghan War, post-globalization, following Europe's mounting financial collapse...if the Mossad, or Israel in general, could be induced to change its ways by journalism, unfortunately Ostrovsky isn't the one to do it, because his thinking and his reporting is too fragmented, confusing, and unclear.

If you're interested in spycraft, read the first half of the book and skip the rest.

[الوهج · Rating 4 out of 5]

رغم كونه اصدار قديما عن الموساد ، الا أنه يحتوي على معلومات قيمة ،وسرد شيق لما يدور داخل اسوار المعهد ،، أو ما يسمى بالموساد ..

[Dan Sasi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly shocking expose of the Mossad. In excruciating deal, the first half of the book discusses how Victor was recruited into the Mossad and the multi year training process prior to being an active field agent. Then the second half of the book discusses various Mossad operations worldwide, some well known to the public others less so.

The biggest takeaway of the book is that Mossad is a completely rogue agency. Unlike how theoretically in the US, our CIA is meant to answer to Congress and the President (although this is less true in practice), the Mossad answers to no one. Many times their actions conflict with what’s best for Israel or for the world. Many examples given when they actively contradict Israeli policy or even direct orders from a prime minister. Back when peace was still a possibility in the region, Mossad did everything it could to discredit Yasser Arafat and the PLO with the intent of sabotaging any possible peace process. This should come as no surprise to anyone that has studied Israel/Palestine.

The most shocking revelation to me was that prior to the 1983 Lebanon barracks bombing that killed 220 marines, Israel had assets in Lebanon that told them something big was coming. They had the make and model of the car that was full of explosives and ran into the barracks. The head of Mossad made a conscious decision not to share this information with the Americans. Even though people in the organization were suggesting they warn the Americans he would not share anything helpful. It just so happens the day after the attack, Israel had the names of 13 people involved in the bombing they shared with the Americans. Also in Lebanon, when the head of the CIA field office, William Buckley was kidnapped, the Americans leaned hard on the Israelis for intel. Simon Peres, Prime Minister at the time, told the Mossad to give the Americans everything, no caveats. This was actually quite rare, the Israeli’s never do this but President Reagan pleaded with Mr Peres and he wanted to deliver. Well the head of the Mossad entertained the Americans and shared lots of intel with them but purposefully did not lead them in the right direction. He said “what do the Americans want me to do their job for them”.

Coming as no surprise, especially after the arrest of Jonathan Pollard, Mossad assets are operating on the ground in the US. They bug senators, congressmen, UN reps hotel rooms, homes, phones etc. When Jimmy Carter’s ambassador to the UN, Andrew Young, met with a representative from the PLO to try and advance peace talks, the Israel’s leaked the meeting to news outlets and subsequently leaked details of his discussion, since they’d bugged the room, leading to Mr. Young’s resignation. Our greatest ally ladies and gentleman.

Reading this really made me think about our own intel agencies in the US. You wonder who ultimately is pulling the strings, making decisions, starting new wars, dropping bombs half way across the world. Presidents come and go, the permanent bureaucracy will outlast any president and can push their own agendas at will. This is why US foreign policy remains constant no matter who is in the oval and what they ran on to get there.

[Erik Graff · Rating 4 out of 5]

In part this book is an autobiography of the author, for several years an officer in the Israeli Mossad, in part it is a history of that intelligence agency for the years of his participation in it, in part it is a critique of the Israeli governmental system which allows its primary intelligence arm to operate without civilian oversight and often contrary to the will of elected officials.

That Ostrovsky was a Mossad officer is not in question. The government of Israel attempted to have this book banned. The details of the book are. If true, then the Mossad, like our own C.I.A., is a major player in the world of illegal drug trafficking. If true, the the Mossad has operatives spying within the United States; has torpedoed Israeli-Palestinian peace accords on several occasions; has actively promoted international conflicts, often supplying both sides with (dis)information and weapons; conducts assassinations regularly, often with little regard for innocent bystanders; manipulates the intelligence agencies of other countries, including our own; manipulates Israeli domestic politics to insure right-wing support in its executive branch; resells military supplies from the U.S.A. at considerable profit; initiated the Iran-Contra debacle, then feigned the death of one its prime architects to prevent Reagan's impeachment; actively supports right-wing military dictatorships, often in league with the United States; supports illegal, secret armed cells in virtually every country of the world, including our own; et cetera.

Naturally, the book is a page-turner. Notable is Ostrovsky's account of the Mossad's understanding of the assassination of President Kennedy.

Yet, despite all the dirt which led to the author leaving the agency, his account is not entirely negative and is substantially a call to put the Israeli intelligence community under governmental oversight and control.

[Roaa Al-Hassan · Rating 3 out of 5]

طريق الخداع | By Way Of Deception

مذكرات ضابط سابق في الموساد.. يكتب فيها عن الهيكيلية والتنظيم الرهيب الأخطر والأكثر اثارة في العالم
بعد تدريب دام ٣ سنوات.. ليصبح كاتسا -ضابط تجميع أو حقيبة- وتاريخ عائلته صهيونيّ باحتراف
اسرائليّ حتى النخاع.. صهيوني حدّ القرف.. وأصبح عميلا لأجل ان يخدم قضيته بالشكل الأمثل!
يكتبها ألماً و حرقة.. على اسرائيل!
أجل.. يشكو من الفساد الذي تُعانيه "يد العدالة الإسرائيلية الطويلة" و الأهداف الشخصية التي يحققها و يعمل لأجلها بعض ضباط الموساد
بعيدا عن استهزائه بالعقلية العربية التي تبيع كل شيء أحيانا لإشباع ذاتها.. وبعيداً عن تشويهه لبعض الأحداث -مازالت اسرائيل عشقه ولأجلها حياته وغرض إشهار الكتاب يخدم ذلك بالتأكيد- تجد فيه الكثير مما لا تعلمه.. ليس تلك المعلومات الرهيبة عن تنظيمهم
بل تلك التضحية التي يقدّمها لأجل قضية قد لا يعيش لـ يراها مزهرة ولكن لأجل الأجيال القادمة ومستقبل اسرائيل،، هو -وغيره- مستعد لأي شيء..

ثلاث خصال.. طول النفس -الصبر- وهدف عظيم -!- و حكمة مدروسة
هذه تُقيم الدول.. تُقيم القوى العالمية التي يُحسب لها ألف حساب
نحتاج جداً ان نواجه أنفسنا بأسباب الهزيمة المتكررة.. بأسباب تأخّر النصر
نحتاج جداً.. ان نكفّ عن الكلام و نسأم الدور الأخير المحجوز لنا منذ أعوام عجاف
نحتاج ان نتحرّك..!

[Bijo Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is thrilling but to what extend it is true... well I don't know. It is meant to be an insider account of the most reputed spy agency in the modern world, the author being an expelled cadet of the agency.

Any experiment in the history of nation building will always be wrapped in colourful packaging of heritage, deeds of heroes from time immemorial, stories of valour, destiny and so on. So was the modern state of Israel. The book, while giving an interesting view of the life of a cadet in Mossad, also provides a commentary of Israel from the engaging years under Golda Meir and Begin.

It could be read like a thriller. I feel it should be treated like one too

[Nayden Kostov · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was one of the first insights in this secret world. Full of details, relatively interesting read.

[Peter J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very eye opening work. I enjoyed learning about some of the techniques that are used in “tradecraft,” although some of the events described were at times both ruthless and inhumane (eg. Repeatedly beating a bound PLO captive unconscious, and then blowing him up once he was no longer needed, slicing the throat of a nuclear physicist who refused to work for them, and then also murdering the hooker that was hired to loosen him up, training and selling arms to both sides of a conflict, etc.).

[Ujjwala Singhania · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my third book on Mossad, and the whole point of picking it up was to have an alternate view on the agency and how it operates because the other two read like James Bond version of the daring operations. However, the writing was so flat that my interest in the book got lower by the chapter to a point where I just wanted to be done with it.

[عياد بن يدر · Rating 4 out of 5]

مهم لتفهم كيف تعمل أجهزة التجسس ومعرفة العملاء

[Petre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Im not going to lie and say I enjoyed this book and that I understood it from front to back. I am not familiar with the affairs of the middle east, I only know the basic societal position, that is, Arabs and Israelis fight, from a Christians perspective, they fight over the promised land, a fight that began with Cain and Abel. This book does not follow that theme but rather it is an exposition of the Mossad. It did not feel like Victor was expressing his personal opinion of the institute but rather simply retelling a series of inside events, which will allow the reader to design there own personal opinion of the Mossad. I would think that the Mossad is most likely the front piece of Israel, a specific institute extracted from the heart of its own society. As it seems Victor tells us that the Mossad has no virtuous aspects what so ever but is rather intent on accomplishing its goals through, lies, fakery, fraudulence, murder and sheer malevolence. Like any corrupt corporation, when it is not exercising its despotic power, it condones fornication, drugs and tax fraud. I never knew much about the Mossad, only that they are cunning, now as it seems, I have an idea of how cunning.
Thank you Victor.

[Salma Hossam · Rating 3 out of 5]

الكتاب ما هو إلا نوع من انواع الشُهره او بمعني آخر إلقاء الضوء علي كيان ضعيف ولكنه يحتوي ع بعض المعلومات الهامه حول عمليات التجسس وكيفية تنفيذها
وايضا يدل على مدي حُب العرب للمال وسعيهم ورائه تحت اى ظرف
به الكثير والكثير من المعلومات المُخيفه
كُل ما نحتاجه الآن هو ان نتحرك ضد هذا الوباء المُسمي " بالموساد" ولكن كيف وكُل اهتمامت الكبار تدور حول المال فقط !!

[Mohammed Shamekh · Rating 3 out of 5]

‫ضابط الموساد السابق فكتور أسترفسكي يشرح منظومة الموساد ويروي تفاصيل بعض العمليات أهمها بالنسبة لي عملية (أوبرا) تفجير تموز١ تموز٢ المفاعل العراقي في بغداد مروراً بأجواء دولتين عربيتين، وعندما نتكلم عن الملف النووي العراقي الفرنسي نتكلم عن الشهيد د يحيى المشد. وعمليات أُخرى.. ‬

[Fatimah · Rating 5 out of 5]

مثير، ومخيف.. يفيد في قشع الغمامة عن الأمور التي لا نعطي لها اعتبارًا ونعدها مجرّد خيالات قصص المخابرات

[Roqaya · Rating 2 out of 5]

الكتاب يهدف الى اعطاء الموساد اكبر من حجمة الحقيقي ..الا ان هناك معلومات مفيدة حول عمليات لم يكن للموساد تنفيذها لولا مساعدة الخونة والعملاء

[إباء مقدسية]

كتاب لا يجب التصريح بمحتواه حتى لا يتورط الاخرون مع سياسة ال.... لست اخشى من قول الاسماء على نفسي لكن هناك جيل يجب ان ينتبه في ظل الاحتلال الاسرائيلي من اي كلمة قد تقال فيه
لكنه كتاب جيد جدا

[Paris V.T. (on hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outdated but I think this is one of the most detailed books of an intelligence organisation I have come across anything like this and I love it

[Jith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting, if a little scattershot, detailed and disturbing account of Mossad training and operations. Even though his experiences are now 40+ years old, and the book itself is 30, it is still entirely relevant. Not least, like U.S. "might is right" covert imperialism, to understand how geopolitics really works - power, the ugly truth.

Having read a lot about covert action/intelligence of the CIA, I was not surprised to read how linked Mossad is to Israeli business interest. In a sense, both agencies are immoral marketing and sabotage agencies acting on behalf of corporate interest, and based on a concept of national/ethnic superiority. Like the CIA and MI5/6, they are the Praetorian guard to the oligarchy, and ultimately, they are fascist. This merging of arrogance, violence and power - a belief in perpetual war and the merging of corporation and state – is basically Mussolini's definition of fascism as holiness (corporate/national identity) and heroism (power). Just, it is hidden and therefore protected. At this point in history, though, it is only hidden by propaganda narratives, in plain sight.

I was also not surprised to hear of the importance of front companies, global networks of volunteers, illegal drugs and arms trading for illicit income, and how, since the 70s, Mossad are a for-hire special forces (e.g. death squad) training consultancy for anyone who will pay, sometimes, even if they are a potential enemy (then you are in the even murkier world of provocateurism, or "increasing market demand"). And, again, sales agents for Israeli arms. None of this separates Mossad from the US agencies activities, just their way of doing it seems proportionally more corrupt and improvised, as befits a much smaller agency bordered by enemies.

The biggest surprise was hearing how one-sided the Mossad-CIA/US relationship was/is. For example, Ostrovsky claims Mossad knew in advance of the 1983 Beirut truck bombings of US marine barracks, which killed 241 U.S. marines, but didn't want to risk blowing their source. Surely there's a way to warn without doing this? F*ck everybody else, I think the motto is.

Another surprise of sorts is how he lived to tell the tale. There's a maxim (of a "limited hangout") that intelligence services mostly only let you know what they want you to know, which means there are probably even worse things that remain hidden. The Epstein ring, for example...?!

It’s depressing to realize all the "blowback" and destruction of life from this hyper-cynical covert immorality, not just on, for example, different Arab nations and people, but on Israelis, the U.S. and groups in Latin America, across the Middle East and Africa (lots of overlap to South Africa) that are affected by the Mossad training of "special forces", arms sales and operations with no regard for (most) human life.

If you've followed the Epstein case, it’s also interesting the regularity with which "sexual blackmail" comes up; it's even a part-time side hustle for some students at the academy, capitalizing on available toys and resources and practicing their burgeoning skills to make some money. Pays better than flipping falafel. Of course J Edgar Hoover's 37 year rule as FBI director was entirely based on sexual blackmail, so it’s nothing new.

And talking of sexual.....there is a bizarre incident recounted in the book, where he and some others were studying/working late and stumbled on many of the staff in an after-hours pool orgy. I'm not a prude, but somehow this decadence reeks of a tribal moral vacuum...and a fall of Rome.

The book reminded me of, and he reflects similarly, the idea that the militant supremacist state of Israel, and all of its crimes, is an inherited trauma of war and persecution itself; the cycle of violence. He states it as an irony and hypocrisy, but it’s also pure logic that hate breeds hate and the brutalized become brutal. Did you know that trauma is inherited epigenetically? Intense experiences change our DNA and bodies and we pass it on; we carry the past and must understand it to understand ourselves.

Anyone who talks of superiority, of making a certain group "great again," needs to understand that this immorality and violence of Mossad, of tribalistic superiority and violence, is the end result of that worldview. Come together or blow each-other apart. Without universal humanism, the potential to respect the "other" as "us" - the other is dehumanized and we perpetuate the traumas and atrocities, and we remain cheap pawns in oligarch war games.

And so....what to do? Transparency? Oversight? Defunding? Boycott? Separate corporation from State? All I know is everyone's worldview is built on a concept of truth, and so understanding these hidden powers and all their f*&ed up effects is essential to understand your short life and try and participate in attempts at democracy.

[Bayan Abusultan · Rating 4 out of 5]

يُشارك اوستروفسكي في هذا الكتاب تجربته في العمل لدى وكالة الاستخبارات الاسرائيليّة (الموساد). يظهر تردّده في الانخراط في هذا العمل منذ البداية، وتساوره العديد من الشكوك أثناء فترة تدريبه وعمله لديهم، حتّى تسريحه من العمل.
رغم رفضه لآليات ومنهجيّة عمل الموساد في كتابه، إلا أنه يفتخر بإسرائيليّته. وعلى استمرار وصفه لعملياتهم بالوحشية والدمويّة، إلا أن المتعمّق في قراءة هذا الكتاب يرى أنّه موجّه للجمهور الغربي ليُوصل لهم صورة الاسرائيلي المحب للسلام والتعايش مع الفلسطينيين خاصةً والعرب عامةً.
هذا الكتاب يحمل العديد من الأسرار الخاصّة بمنهجيّة عمل الموساد، إلّا أنّه - وبطبيعة الحال- لم يكن من الممكن أن يُنشر هذا العمل قبل موافقة الجهات العُليا عليه، الأمر الذي يقودنا للتفكير أنّ هذا العمل هو مجرد محاولة إسرائيلية في تمجيد صورة الإسرائيلي المسالم الباحث عن التعايش. فلو كان محاولة فضح محضة -ومما يسرده أوستروفسكي فإن الموساد لا يسامح من يخطئ بحقهم- فما كان ليبقى على قيد الحياة الآن بعد أكثر من ثلاثين عام من نشر الكتاب.
على قارئ هذا الكتاب توخّي الحذر في تناول أي من مضموناته كمسلّمات، مع محاولة لمس أهمّية الحرص في التعامل مع أي أشخاص مشبوهين كون الوكالة الاستخباريّة تجنّد أشخاصًا من حول العالم.


- "كُنت أعتقد أنها بلادٌ لا يمكن أن تخطئ وأنها لن توقع الشرّ بالآخرين، وستكون مثالًا لجميع الأمم لتراه وتتبعه. وإذا وُجد أي خطأ مالي أو سياسي في البلاد كنت أتصوّر دائمًا أنّه في الدرجات الدُّنيا من الحكومة - لدى الموظفين المكتبيّين الذين سيقومون بنهاية الأمر بإصلاح أخطائهم."
- "كان هناك ضغط سياسي لتعيين نساء يعملنَ "ضابطات جمع" ( لتجنيد عملاء من الأعداء، في مختلَف أنحاء العالم) لهذا قررت الموساد إدخال بعضهن، على ما يعتقد، لكي تتأكّد من أنه سيكون بإمكانهنّ القيام بتلك المهمّة بنجاح. بالطبع لم تكن تريد لهنّ أن ينجحن، بل إن ذلك لم يكن إلّا إيماءة ودّية. توجد نساء جاسوسات ولكن لم يُسمح أبدًا بوجود "ضابطات جمع" ويعود ذلك جزئيًا إلى أنّ النساء أقل حصانة من الرجال، لكنّ هدف الموساد الرئيسي هو الرجال - الرجال العرب، الذين يمكن للنساء أن تستهويهم؛ على أنه لا يوجد أي عربي يقبل العمل للنساء، وبهذا لا يمكن للنساء أن تجنّدهم."
- "مرّة كل ثلاثة أشهر ستقدّمون امتحان جهاز كشف الكذب، وبعد ذلك كلّما عدتم من رحلة للخارج أو بعد أية فترة تقضونها خارج إسرائيل سيُطلب منكم تقديم الامتحان. لكم الحق أن ترفُضوا تقديمه، ممّا يعطيني الحق في إطلاق النار عليكم."
- "ما الذي يحدث لمُشاهد بريء؟ تعلّمنا أنّه لا يوجد مشاهد بريء في موضع يحدث فيه إطلاق النار، فالمشاهد سيرى موتك أو موت شخص آخر، فإذا كان موتك، فهل تهتم إذا أُصيب بالجراح؟ طبعًا لا. إنّ الفكرة هي البقاء - بقاؤك أنت. يجب أن تنسى كل ما كنت قد سمعته عن العدل. ففي هذه المواقف إمّا أن تكون قاتلًا أو مقتولًا، وواجبك أن تحمي ملك الموساد، أي أن تحمي نفسك، وبمجرد أن تفهم هذا تفقد عار الأنانيّة، حتّى أن الأنانيّة تبدو سلعة قيّمة - شيئا يصعب عليك أن تنفضه عنك عندما تعود إلى بيتك في آخر النهار."
- "العنصر المضحك في هذا الشأن أنّ ستين بالمائة من عمل شركات الرد الهاتفيّة في أوروبا يأتي من الموساد - على أنّها لا تُخبر بذلك. والمشكلة بالنسبة لهذا النظام هي أن الموساد لا يبدو أنّها تهتم بمقدار الدمار الذي قد يلحق بوضع اليهود في الشتات إذا عُرف ذلك، والجواب الذي سيحصل عليه المرء إذا سئل عن الأمر سيكون: "ما هو أردأ ما قد يحصل لأولئك اليهود؟ هل سيأتون جميعهم إلى إسرائيل؟ إنّ هذا أمر عظيم!"."
- "العلاقات بين الموساد والمخابرات الدنماركية حميمة ولا تنقصها اللياقة، لكنّها ليست فضائل الموساد التي أوصلت إلى هذه الترتيبات، بل فضائل الدنماركيين، الذين لديهم انطباع خاطئ بأن الإسرائيليين يحفظون لهم جميلًا لأنهم أنقذوا حياة أعداد كبيرة من اليهود خلال الحرب العالميّة الثانية، وبالتالي فإنهم يستطيعون الوثوق في الموساد."
- "كان اتحاد الصحفيّين في إسرائيل على علم بالعمليّة منذ بدايتها - أو على الأقل، كانوا يعرفون ما يسمح لهم الموساد ومكتب رئيس الوزراء بمعرفته - إلا أنهم وافقوا على كتم الخبر حتّى يسمح لهم بنشره. وهناك لجنة للمحررين يطلق عليها اسم "فعدات أورخيم" والتي تحظى من بين جميع وسائل الإعلام الرئيسيّة في إسرائيل بلقاءات دوريّة منتظمة مع المسؤولين الحكوميين لإطلاعهم على معظم الأحداث الجارية. وتدير الدولة البث التلفزيوني والإذاعي، فيما عدا محطة إذاعة شاردة واحدة، لذلك لم يكن هناك مشكلة في السيطرة عليها."
- "إلا أن القصف المدمّر تواصل، وفي أواسط آب/أغسطس، ووسط انتقادات متزايدة محلّية ودوليّة من أنهم يقتلون المدنيين، قال بيجن:"سنفعل ما يجب علينا فعله، بيروت الغربيّة ليست مدينة، إنها هدف عسكري محاط بالمدنيّين."
- "تعرّضت صورة إسرائيل في الخارج لأضرار خطيرة. ورغم الجهود الإسرائيلية المتزايدة للتعتيم على التقارير والأنباء الصادرة من الضفة والقطاع، إلّا أن صورة الجنود المسلّحين وهم يضربون الفلسطينيين العزّل ويطلقون النار عليهم بدأت تُزعج حتى أقوى مؤيّدي إسرائيل."

[RANGER · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting insider view of the Mossad; a somewhat biased perspective, but a fascinating read
It's incredible that Victor Ostrovsky's memoir of life inside one of the most secretive intelligence agencies on earth is still eminently readable and selling well since it was first published in 1990. Kindle and paperback versions are still available via Ostrovsky's own small press publishing house. Having read several books about the Mossad, I was looking for something different. I heard of Ostrovsky via YouTube -- where a treasure trove of Ostrovsky interviews and speeches can be found on subjects ranging from Israeli national security to intelligence operations to post-911 counter-terrorism (for many years he was the go-to man for news agencies looking for a Mossad insider). I found his books and discovered Ostrovsky's work is certainly different. Because unlike other memoirs by former Mossad agents, "By Way of Deception" is the personal narrative of a disgruntled former katsa (case officer), one who left the service under a cloud, with bones to pick and unafraid to name names. For a variety of reasons, some alarming, others somewhat self-serving, Ostrovsky fell out with his employer and eventually left Israel for the life of a writer and artist in Arizona USA. I won't spoil the reader by trying to explain all the whys because I think people should read his book. Besides being a memoir, Ostrovsky shares organizational and supposed tradecraft secrets that one assumes must have been highly classified at the time of publication (unless his entire publishing career is just a huge disinformation campaign -- a real possibility!). He also shares some conspiratorial concepts about secret intelligence agencies that will be familiar to readers of Victor Suvorov (KGB/GRU), Lev Timofeyev (KGB), Fletcher Prouty (CIA), David Talbot (CIA) and others worth comparing with. Ostrovsky is a decent non-fiction memoirist but having read his fiction before (several self-published novels; not very well written) I assume Claire Hoy did the heavy lifting to make this the fast-moving and fascinating read that it is. But it's Ostrovsky's book nonetheless. In fact, Ostrovsky followed this up with a sequel, The Other Side of Deception, that I hope to read soon. I know a little about intelligence myself and have spent some time in Israel so this book was right up my alley. But it's so well-written that even newcomers to these subjects will find it enjoyable. But be warned. His revelations are messy, disturbing and he is undoubtedly biased. But this book is still recommended. Highly.

[Kārlis Bergmanis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short, good and bad.
Short: If you want to read better story of behind the scenes of intelligence operations, read Aquarium by Viktor Suvorov.
Good: The part about his training up to defection gives interesting comparison with appropriate part of Aquarium, allowing to note / sense some similarities and some principal differences, which are to be expected, given that GRU was (and probably is) working in totalitarian, paranoid and terror-based environment, while Mossad is operating in more civilized, business like environment. Main difference being that here he was simply dismissed, while in GRU recruitment starts with film of being cremated alive - to show you only way out of the organization.
Bad: Part after defection reads like yellow press. Also - we are talking about spies. Nobody should be shocked that they sometimes kill people, blow things up, steal intel, bribe someone etc., it comes with the job. Of course, in perfect world there wouldn't be any spies, burglars, drugs and rainy days when you don't want them, but since we don't live in a perfect world - it's kind of silly to act surprised that these things happen.