VOICES

Ronen Bergman

Journalist

Israeli journalist and author Ronen Bergman is known around the world for his astute political and military analyses. He has most recently made headlines for his book Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel’s Targeted Assassinations, which received international acclaim and was just released in paperback. Based on hundreds of interviews and thousands of documents, the book “traces, from statehood to the present, the gripping events and thorny ethical questions underlying Israel’s targeted killing campaign and special operations, which have profoundly affected the Israeli nation, the Middle East, and the entire world,” Bergman said. Inspiration for the book’s title came from the Talmudic verse, “If someone comes to kill you, rise up and kill him first.” (Photo: Dor Malka / CC BY-SA 4.0)