BOOK REVIEW: THE SWORD OF FREEDOM: Israel, Mossad and The Secret War
By Yossi Cohen / Broadside Books
Reviewed by: Jean Thomas Nicole
The Reviewer —Jean-Thomas Nicole is a Policy Advisor with Public Safety Canada. The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official policies or positions of Public Safety Canada or the Canadian government
REVIEW — In The Sword of Freedom, former Mossad Director Yossi Cohen, the first Mossad director from a religious, ultra-orthodox background, offers a rare and assertive account of Israel’s intelligence doctrine, blending personal experience with a strategic, bordering on the providential and theological, worldview shaped by decades of covert operations and geopolitical maneuvering.
I would like to meet with Mr. Cohen, personally. I am sure I would enjoy his conversation and company. I have so many questions to ask him after reading his book. I like his style of writing: direct, to the point, with no literary emphasis nor fuss.
I like the way he radically owns his human sources, professionally speaking, for good and bad: “It is ownership. I need his intel. I need him to be mine. I am not going to kill him. He is not going to disappear. I will use him.” And further down the line: “You must convince them that it is okay, that there is a future in it. Betrayal must be a conscious act.”
His book is not a mission report per se but you can feel the weight of his professional and human experience; a man of action who knows and appreciates thinking; thinking about who he is (an Orthodox Jew attracted to the secular world) and what he does well (dealing with an unorthodox world of states and threats with original and creative means in the defense of Israel and its people).
In that context, according to David Ben Gurion, “Israel was not created to disappear; Israel will endure and flourish. It is the child of hope and the home of the brave. It can neither be broken by adversity nor demoralized by success. It carries the shield of democracy, and it honors the sword of freedom.”
These words from Israel’s founding father have always been the north star for a man whose life and work has been guided by these principles. It also explains the evocative title of the book.
Over the course of a 42-year career, Yossi Cohen indeed served the state of Israel in various roles within the Mossad, rising to Deputy Director in 2011; then as National Security Advisor to Prime Minister Netanyahu (2013) and finally as the Director of the Mossad from 2016 until his retirement in 2021.
Cohen worked with seven prime ministers, three US presidents and countless foreign leaders. He has been involved in, and commanded, thousands of operations–some making headlines around the world and changing the course of history, such as stealing Iran’s nuclear archive in 2018 and more recently, the remarkable successes against Hezbollah and Iran. Many others will never be acknowledged.
Sword of Freedom is thus a rare and riveting peek into the mysterious world of Israel’s intelligence operations. This is not a memoir of introspection—it is a strategic blueprint for national survival, written by a man who believes that clarity of purpose and moral conviction are as essential as operational precision.
Given Cohen’s increasing prominence as a prospective candidate in the forthcoming Israeli elections, the publication of his book is widely interpreted by political commentators as a deliberate and strategic precursor to his anticipated entry into the political fray.
Though once seen as a possible successor to Prime Minister Netanyahu within Likud, Cohen has since distanced himself from the party and is now reportedly considering launching an independent political movement, reflecting both his right-leaning ideology and his recent divergences from Netanyahu on key issues such as judicial reform and hostage negotiations.
As the former head of Mossad, Cohen is widely respected for his role in high-stakes operations, including the 2018 seizure of Iran’s nuclear archives and his involvement in the Abraham Accords. These achievements have earned him a reputation as a decisive and capable leader, particularly among right-leaning and security-focused segments of the Israeli public.
However, his transition from intelligence to politics has introduced new dynamics. While some view his leadership style as disciplined and visionary, others express concern over his close ties with former Prime Minister Netanyahu, under whom he served as national security adviser. This association has led to skepticism among centrist and liberal voters, especially as Cohen considers forming an independent political party rather than joining an existing faction.
Meanwhile, recent reports suggest that Cohen believes Israel needs political change and that he can offer a fresh alternative. This message appears to resonate with voters disillusioned by the current political establishment, particularly in the wake of internal coalition instability and post-October 7th public sentiment.
With that in mind, Cohen’s central thesis is quite clear: “It’s the job of the Israeli defense establishment to do whatever it can to put off the next war for as long as possible - including using covert means.”
This ethos permeates every chapter, from his reflections on Mossad’s extraction of Iran’s nuclear archive to his candid assessments of Israel’s relationships with Russia and Saudi Arabia.
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Consequently, the book is structured around key moments in Cohen’s tenure, but it is less a chronological memoir than a thematic exposition of Mossad’s doctrine of deterrence.
Foundationally, and therefore politically, it is simple, according to Cohen: “The bottom line is that the state of Israel has totally failed in explaining its right to exist. It all starts there. Western leaders talk about de-escalation, but you can only have peace with people who are prepared to accept your existence.
On a related note, Cohen writes powerfully: “Too many innocent lives have been lost on both sides, but I will dispute, until my last breath, accusations of Israeli genocide. The enemy are brutal aggressors, to the point of inhumanity. Images of terrorist atrocities on October 7 are irreversibly etched on my brain, as they are on those of anyone who has seen their videos of torture, mass rape, mutilation, beheading, and the burning of children.”
Unlike many spy memoirs that dwell on moral ambiguity, Cohen’s tone is resolute and unapologetic. He writes, “Winning before the battle begins means instilling fear in your enemies—not just defeating them on the battlefield.”
This emphasis on psychological dominance and human intelligence (HUMINT) over technological surveillance sets Cohen apart from his Western counterparts.
He argues that the most effective intelligence work is not reactive but preemptive, designed to shape the strategic environment before conflict erupts.
Cohen critiques the West’s approach to the Middle East, warning against cultural misreadings and diplomatic naiveté. “Question all information from all sources,” he advises, underscoring Mossad’s reliance on deep, personal networks rather than signals intelligence alone.
He is particularly critical of what he sees as the West’s overreliance on technology and its failure to grasp the motivations and worldviews of regional actors. For Cohen, understanding the human terrain is not a luxury—it is a necessity.
His reflections on diplomacy are particularly revealing. Cohen describes Mossad not only as an intelligence agency but as a diplomatic actor, often engaging with adversaries in ways that traditional diplomats cannot.
He recounts backchannel communications with Gulf states and strategic dialogues with Russia, emphasizing that trust-building—even with hostile actors—is as vital as any covert asset.
These insights offer a rare glimpse into the intersection of espionage and statecraft, where intelligence operations serve broader geopolitical objectives.
The book is also deeply ideological. Cohen frames Mossad’s work as a moral imperative in a region where hesitation can be fatal: “There is no Plan B for the Jewish people.”
This framing elevates the stakes of every operation and policy decision, casting intelligence work as part of a broader existential struggle. While some readers may find this rhetoric stark, it reflects the strategic culture of a nation that has faced existential threats since its founding.
Cohen’s leadership philosophy is another key theme. He presents intelligence leadership as a blend of strategic vision, operational discipline, and ethical resolve. He emphasizes the importance of decisiveness, discretion, and the ability to inspire trust among operatives and allies alike.
His portrayal of Mossad is not just as a covert force but as a guardian of national resilience, tasked with anticipating threats and shaping outcomes in Israel’s favor.
One of the book’s most compelling sections recounts the 2018 operation in Tehran, where Mossad agents extracted Iran’s nuclear archive. While Cohen avoids operational specifics, he frames the mission as a strategic masterstroke that reshaped global perceptions of Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The operation, he suggests, was not just about intelligence—it was about sending a message: Israel will act decisively, even in the heart of enemy territory.
Cohen also reflects on Mossad’s role in the Abraham Accords, where he served as a key negotiator. He argues that intelligence diplomacy—quiet, persistent, and grounded in mutual interest—was instrumental in normalizing relations with the UAE. This, he suggests, is the future of Israeli security: alliances built not just on shared threats, but on shared strategic vision.
In that regard, he writes, hopeful and clear-eyed: “Since our security is strengthened by peace treaties, I hope that the Abraham Accords will be expanded in the months and years to come. A normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia would be a game changer. But, for the avoidance of doubt, domestic public opinion in Israel supports the erasure of Hamas.”
That said, The Sword of Freedom is not without its limitations. Readers seeking detailed accounts of specific operations may be disappointed by the book’s generality.
Operational details are often veiled, and Cohen is careful not to reveal classified information. However, this restraint is consistent with the book’s purpose: it is not a tell-all, but a strategic reflection intended to influence how intelligence is understood and practiced.
For Cipher Brief readers, the Sword of Freedom is a compelling and provocative addition to the canon of intelligence literature. It challenges conventional narratives about espionage, offering a perspective rooted in strategic realism and national necessity.
It is less about tradecraft and more about leadership in the shadows. Whether one agrees with Cohen’s worldview or not, his clarity of purpose and operational insight make this book a valuable contribution to the literature on national security.
In an era of shifting alliances and emerging threats, Cohen’s message is both timely and sobering: deterrence is not a posture—it is a mindset. And in the unforgiving arena of Middle Eastern geopolitics, that mindset may be Israel’s most potent weapon.
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