Secret Soldier: The True Life Story of Israel's Greatest Commando

“A revealing account of a 25-year career in the Israeli special forces . . . adds much to our understanding of Israel’s covert fighting arm.” —Kirkus Reviews Israel’s premier special warfare commander and counterterrorist specialist, Muki Betser, was born in Israel’s Jezreel Valley and grew up to become one of the leaders of his country’s most elite commando unit, Sayeret Matkal. Newspapers refer to the sayeret, or special reconnaissance forces, as the “tip of the spear” of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). But Sayeret Matkal—or simply, the Unit—was the cream of that crop, carrying out some of the best-known antiterrorist raids of the last twenty-five years. In this riveting autobiography, Betser recounts the inner workings of Israel’s elite forces and provides an intimate firsthand account of Israel’s previously classified counterterrorist defense missions. “[Muki Betser] speaks eloquently of the role of commando units, but also deplores violence, capping his riveting combat stories with a paean to peace that’s all the more poignant because it’s penned by a warrior.” —Publishers Weekly

© 2011 Atlantic Monthly Press (Ebook): 9780802195210

Release date

Ebook: June 22, 2011