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Review
Mossad, the Israeli secret service, remains one of the most unknown and covert organizations at work in the modern day. Thomas was allowed access to Mossad's leaders and field operatives over a three-year period and exposes the truth behind its involvement in the murder of Yasser Arafat's chief aide, the stealing of a MiG from Iraq and nuclear material from a Pittsburg plant, and assassinations authorized by Benjamin Netanyahu. More shockingly, he makes claims that Robert Maxwell was involved with Mossad during the Irangate scandal, that the agency infiltrated the White House, and that it was involved with Henri Paul immediately prior to the deaths of Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed. This is an exciting and controversial expose of hidden agendas. (Kirkus UK)
Forget (largely) about the "history" part; this is an anecdote-rich, if sometimes factually questionable, series of tales about the extraordinary derring-do of Israel's vaunted elite foreign intelligence service. Prolific British journalist Thomas (Enslaved, 1991; Chaos Under Heaven: The Shocking Story Behind China's Search for Democracy, 1991; etc.), whose 38th book this is, spent over 100 hours interviewing Mossad heads and agents, as well as others whose lives have been affected by the agency, including Yasir Arafat (a frequent assassination target before the 1993 Oslo agreement). To his credit, he delves into the organization's more significant bungled operations, including the mid-1970s killing of an innocent Arab waiter in Norway who was thought to be one of the PLO perpetrators of the 1972 Munich massacre of Israel's Olympic team. Thomas also provides readers with a good sense of how the Mossad trains its operatives in the field and of how extensively Israeli agents have infiltrated even the most apparently inaccessible parts of the Arab world. (It was a Mossad case officer in the Iraqi desert who, days before the 1991 Gulf War began, discovered that Baghdad had far more SCUD missiles in advanced positions than the CIA knew.) For the most part, though, Thomas contributes to the mythologizing of the Mossad by portraying an endlessly resourceful, often ruthless service that seems straight out of a James Bond film. How many of his tales are true? As Thomas doesn't document, aside from a short list of "primary interviewees" and other sources, it's hard to say. Nor does he build credibility by getting certain basic facts wrong or by occasionally offering hyperventilating prose. In short, this fun read, while containing much juicy ready-for-film-adaptation material, should be approached with a skeptical eye by readers interested in serious history. (Kirkus Reviews)
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In the secret world of spies and covert operations, no intelligene service continues to be as surrounded by myth and mystery as Israel's Mossad. "Gideon's Spies" reveals the extent of Mossad's involvement in an astonishing range of world events including Irangate, the attempted assasination of Pope John Paul II, the Monica Lewinsky scandal and the death of Robert Maxwell. Fully revised for the paperwork, new revelations include the mysterious events surrounding the 1992 El Al jet crash in Amsterdam, the tracking down of Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan, and more details on Mossad's involvement in the crash which killed Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed. 'A fascinating look at a spy organization that has remained off limits to most journalists. Some of the incredible episodes Gordon Thomas writes about seem like they belong in fiction, and yet this is a first-rate non-fiction account.' - "GQ". 'Using eye-witness accounts from directors, agents, and even assassins, Thomas goes where few writers have gone before - inside Mossad, Israel's ruthless, super-secretive intelligence agency.' - "Maxim". 'A compelling read, with any number of disturbing revelations.' - "FHM".