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In celebration of Hanukkah, Israeli President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Benajmin Netanyahu and Mossad chief Tamir Pardo attended a candle lighting event at the president’s residence in Jerusalem on Thursday.

During the event, 12 outstanding Mossad employees were given certificates of appreciation, and Peres praised the Mossad for its outstanding achievements throughout the years.

“The Mossad is the best intelligence organization in the world,” Peres said. Peres also wished a speedy recovery to former Mossad chief Meir Dagan, who recently underwent an emergency liver transplant in Belarus. Peres praised Pardo for helping in the efforts to save Dagan’s life. “This was truly a Hanukkah miracle,” Peres said.

At Thursday’s event, Netanyahu said: “On Hanukkah we traditionally say ‘Who will sing the praises of Israel’s strength’ and I add to that ‘Who will carry out Israel’s covert operations’ as it is written: ‘By way of deception, thou shalt conduct war,'” a reference to the Mossad’s motto, which is derived from the biblical verse of Proverbs 24:6.

“This is the way the few defeat the many, and we have learned that from the days of our forefathers,” Netanyahu said. “We need a body that can operate on the international level using both ancient and modern methods. The Mossad does just that in the most outstanding way.”