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

The Israeli Defense Force has dazzled the world with its surgically precise antiterrorist missions, conducted with a minimal loss of human life. Many of these operations have been the work of the elite Sayeret Matkal commando unit. The group's former commander, Betser, now presents his life story, and in the process pulls back some of the shroud that has long concealed the inner workings of Sayeret Matkal. The result is a captivating personal view of high-stakes special warfare. With the help of mystery writer Rosenberg (The Cutting Room), Betser chronicles his own role in well-publicized victories, such as the 1976 rescue of passengers from an Air France flight held hostage in Entebbe, Uganda; and in lesser-known failures as well, including the bold hijack of an Iraqi commercial aircraft mistakenly thought to be carrying the infamous terrorist George Habash. The former commando doesn't skimp on detail, delighting with such tidbits as the revelation that a commando disguised as a female tourist stuffed his bra with hand grenades. He 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. (June)