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By Way of Deception Kindle Edition

by Victor Ostrovsky (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.3 396 ratings

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The # 1 New York Times best seller the Israeli foreign intelligence agency The Mossad tried to ban. The making of a Mossad officer is the true story of an officer in Israel's most secret agency. The first time the Mossad came calling, they wanted Victor Ostrovsky for their assassination unit, the kidon. He turned them down. The next time, he agreed to enter the grueling three-year training program to become a katsa, or intelligence case officer, for the legendary Israeli spy organization. By Way of Deception is the explosive chronicle of his experiences in the Mossad, and of two decades of their frightening and often ruthless covert activities around the world. Penetrating far deeper than the bestselling Every Spy a Prince, it is an insider's account of Mossad tactics and exploits. In chilling detail, Ostrovsky asserts that the Mossad refused to share critical knowledge of a planned suicide mission in Beirut, leading to the death of hundreds of U.S. Marines and French troops. He tells how they tracked Yasser Arafat by recruiting his driver and bodyguard; how they withheld information on the whereabouts of American hostages, paving the way for the Iran-Contra scandal; and how their intervention into secret UN negotiations led to the sudden resignation of ambassador Andrew Young and the downfall of his career. By Way of Deception describes the shocking scope and depth of the Mossad's influence, disclosing how Jewish communities in the U.S., Europe, and South America are armed and trained by the organization in secret ?self-defense? units, and how Mossad agents facilitate the drug trade in order to pay the enormous costs of its far-flung, clandestine operation. And it portrays a network that has grown dangerously out of control, as internal squabbles have led to the escape of terrorists and the pursuit of policies completely at odds with the interests of the state of Israel. This document is possibly the most important and controversial book of its kind since Spycatcher.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Intelligence agencies should never try to ban books about themselves. Like Peter Wright's Spycatcher (Penguin USA, 1987), which was suppressed in Britain , this book on Israel's legendary spy organization by a former Mossad katsa or case officer has ended up on the New York Times best seller list. Among the controversial revelations that led Israel to seek a ban (which was quickly overturned in the United States and Canada) is Ostrovsky's charge that the Mossad refused to share knowledge of a planned suicide mission in Beirut, resulting in the deaths of 241 U.S. Marines in 1983. Another New York Times best seller, Dan Raviv and Yossi Melman's Every Spy a Prince ( LJ 7/90), provides more reliable details on Israel's spy network.
- Wilda Wil liams, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Victor Ostrovsky was born in Canada and raised in Israel. At eighteen he became the youngest officer in the Israeli military at the time, eventually rising to the rank of lieutenant commander in charge of naval weapons testing. He was a Mossad case officer from 1982-1986. Victor Currently lives in Scottsdale Arizona where he paints and has an art gallery in old town Scottsdale.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B002RL9NL2
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Wilshire Press (October 1, 2009)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 1, 2009
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 781 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 372 pages

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4.3 396 ratings

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Victor Ostrovsky
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Victor Ostrovsky was born in Canada and raised in Israel. At eighteen he became the youngest officer in the Israeli military at the time, eventually rising to the rank of lieutenant commander in charge of naval weapons testing. He was a Mossad case officer from 1982-1986. Victor Currently lives in Scottsdale Arizona where he writes and paints and has an art gallery Ostrovsky Fine Art in old town Scottsdale. www.OstrovskyFineArt.com
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Claire Hoy
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4.3 out of 5

396 global ratings

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Peggy Durham

great read

Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2023

delivered right away

Everyone should read it.

Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2024

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Relevant to today's world.

One person found this helpful

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Caroline L.

Incredible book about operations

Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2022

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I read the foreword and was already hooked by what the journalist co-writer had to say. He explained why they were credible authors. I loved the initial story that they told about nuclear power. I know that Golda Meir was juggling a lot of different priorities not all that long ago, and I am enjoying the stories inside.

3 people found this helpful

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Dr Dan

Book good, but scanned content horrible.

Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2012

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Compared to other books I have read in the former spy genre, this book was OK. The book was interesting in that it provided more detail to world events that I lived through.

The most disappointing aspect of this book was the content. I ordered the Kindle version and apparently the original book was scanned in. The scanning process was horrible since there were numerous times that I could not make sense of sentences or words because the wrong words were present. Without this major distraction, I probably would have enjoyed the book more.

6 people found this helpful

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R.K. Sprau

MOSSAD

Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2014

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Having worked in the CI Div for DIA, (I won't publicly state what I did or when), I find this a refreshing unpolished view of life in the world of shadows. One may say MOSSAD, what's that/ It;s the Israeli version of the CIA/CI division. Unlike the movies one watches, this is gritty introspection of what they do. Like another memoir published by an honeypot, (We also have them), it shows how far certain individuals are willing to go to defend there country.

when one reads it or memoirs from our own agents, (former) they never asked what's morality. For us at home morality, a spiritual perspective, we tend to overlook the fundamental question of morality.

If one wishes to see what an field operative does, it's unglamorous, boring and dangerous as hell. At the end of his memoirs though we've never met I felt as if I know him.

you the reader should read it for it shows to what lengths a elite group of highly educated highly trained individuals will go to defend there country. It will give insight to what actually goes on in the "World of shadows".

Another must read book is Argo, based on actual events of an CIA agent who with the aid of the Canadians, help pull our diplomats out of Iran at the start of there revolution.

8 people found this helpful

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Elliot Malach

Spy vs. Spy

Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2010

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Wow! 5 Stars is not enough. The title comes from the Mossad motto, By Way of Deception, Thou Shalt Do War. And that they do; they are the best.

The book tells of the author's recruitment, training and brief career in the Mossad. The training takes years and is extremely intense. Very few that start actually complete the process. During their training, the recruits review in detail many real cases to gain experience. Since Victor was released from the Mossad due to the typical "office politics" very early in his career, it is the facts of these cases that the author relates in the later chapters.

You can't make up better stories than the true international incidents. I'm not going to speculate on whether or not this perspective is reality, but the accounts are definitely plausible. The Mossad perpetuates conflicts, sells weapons to their sworn enemies, and trains both factions in countries like Sri Lanka. Contrary to what they profess, the Mossad even spies in the U.S. and runs an escort service in New York City, which was still operating when the author published this book

Of course, would the Mossad let a book get published giving away the company secrets? It's hard to say. Was the author let go to add credibility? Like Victor says, "You can't take a spy at his word."

11 people found this helpful

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Purple Elephant

Accurate portrayal of the Mossad

Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2013

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If you don't like all the political mumbo jumbo of a spy book but like the actual art of spying then this one's for you. The first hand accounts of the espionage, sabotage and assassinations ultimately ordered by the prime minister puts you right in the thick of it as if you were actually there watching the case officers and recruited agents yourself. I enjoyed reading the first hand accounts in the book "Blowing my cover my life as a CIA spy" by Moran and I am enjoying this read about the first hand accounts of the mossad. Victor Ostrovsky keeps the book interesting and accounts for his memory as best as possible. I like his writing style it's not boring.

13 people found this helpful

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Seek

Go inside the Mossad with an agent

Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2013

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This book about Israeli intelligence agency the Mossad, is an interesting read. I wonder how much is true and what is false. Ill- regardless, the book has a good story and holds your attention. I enjoyed reading it and recommend it. Some of the facts may be true, plus you get an insight into the inner working of the Mossad. Either way, I wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of the Mossad.

3 people found this helpful

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Bessmert

libro non molto interessante

Reviewed in Italy on June 1, 2019

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Penso che questo libro nato per infamare l'Istituto non contiene informazioni dirompenti ma pervero disvela circostanze operative che - a mio sommesso avviso - non andavano rivelate. Da quanto ho potuto leggere lo stesso dirama tutto sommato "fattarielli" e circostanze di scarso valore. Interessante la prima parte dove descrive le modalità di addestramento degli agenti. Penso che l'autore avrebbe fatto bene in ogni caso a non sputare sul piatto dove ha mangiato.

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Gord

Very revealing. I think we would be shocked if ...

Reviewed in Canada on March 23, 2017

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Very revealing. I think we would be shocked if we knew the extent of all the nefarious events in which the Mossad was involved.

2 people found this helpful

Louis Viegas

Must Read

Reviewed in India on October 26, 2015

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One of the best books i have read; had read this way back in mid 90s, saw this book available on Kindle hence ordered it. Love the speed of the book and the facts, dimensions and sharpness which Victor Ostrovsky brings to the reader

2 people found this helpful

Paulus

Very revealing about the Mossad way of thinking, facilitates ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 18, 2015

Verified Purchase

Very revealing about the Mossad way of thinking, facilitates forming your own ideas about the activities of Israeli zionazis today.

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