Striking Back: The 1972 Munich Olympics Massacre and Israel's Deadly Response

This excellent book is by an Israeli journalist who was able to get remarkable access to Mossad. One might think this would result in a one-sided presentation, but Klein has done an excellent job of being extremely objective and analyzing the twin motivations of revenge and deterrence that underlay the strike-back assassinations after Munich. The only point on which he isn't objective (and with good reason) is in his unreserved condemnation of the action, inaction, negligence, and callousness (not to mention stupidity) of the German officials during the 21 hours or so of the hostage crisis. The book is worth reading for his thorough account of that one day in September. Klein's analysis of the Mossad reaction is unsparing, especially in the disaster and tragedy at Lilliehammer, when Mossad agents killed an innocent man whom they should have realized was not Ali Hassan Salameh ("The Red Prince"). Six Mossad operatives were actual imprisoned in Norway for this crime, and the fact that "Munich" never makes mention of this incident is sufficient refutation to those who ridiculously claim that Spielberg and Tony Kushner were insufficiently sympathetic to Israel. While he wrote the book in Hebrew, Klein makes it clear this is not an apologia for Mossad. He sternly questions the rightness of the process in which Palestinian terrorists were identified and "prosecuted" in "show trials" before Israeli Prime Ministers who issued death sentences. People identified as "architects" of Munich often had little if any direct connection to the tragedy. He also carefully analyses the deterrence claim. While Black September terror largely faded after the strike-back assassinations, this appears to have had much to do with the PLO's attempt for legitimacy (Arafat addressing the U.S. in 1974, etc.) and reluctance to incur the wrath of potentially friendly European governments by continuing to execute terror strikes in their countries. Klein also explodes the myth of Mossad invincibility, pointing out with great irony that two of the actual Munich terrorists are still alive, and neither of the actual planners of the mission (Abu Daoud and Abu Ehyad) died at Mossad's hands. Abu Daoud is, in fact, still alive, and Abu Ehyad was assassinated by an extremist Abu Nidal follower because Abu Ehyad had become "soft" on the destruction of Israel. Don't confuse this book with the movie "Munich," however. "Munich" is based on a different book, George Jonas's "Vengeance," based on the recollections of a Mossad agent. There have been some criticisms and questions of "Avner"'s story in "Vengeance." Klein's account, however, shows that the initial 3 assassinations and the Spring of Youth assassinations in Beiruit were generally very accurately portrayed in "Munich." I see "Munich" as more of a philosophical question about the human cost of the eye-for-an-eye approach, and the ultimate futility of translating ideology into direct and violent action, especially

Aaron Klein's book, translated by Mitch Ginsburg from the original Hebrew, is the antidote to Spielburg's "Munich." The timing of this book, no doubt, was not a coincidence. Obviously, the point of view is primarily Israeli. The credit for the excellent writing style goes to Mitch Ginsburg. I doubt that the Hebrew version would be nearly as fun to read (even if I could read Hebrew, which I can't). Translation is tough work, even for fairly straightforward narrative prose. Anyway, this book reads like a Tom Clancy novel. I was amazed by the incompetence of the Germans as it is portrayed in this book. It seems as though the deaths, or at least some of the deaths, could have been prevented if the kidnapping had been handled differently. That part of the narrative was very disturbing to me, because I remember watching the Munich olympics as a kid of about 8 or 9. I can still feel the shock and pain of the events as they occurred. To think that pride and stupidity contributed to the tragedy only makes things worse. This book presents the Munich tragedy from the viewpoint of the Israelis and gives the reader a vivid glimpse into the heart of the Mossad. Definitely worth a read.

Although published under the byline of a journalist, I suspect that this this is the semi-official, mossad-sponsored version of what happened in the Munich attacks and their aftermath. This is clear from what the dust cover coyly describes as the "unprecedented access" to official document that the author has. It's also obvious because the author so clearly states the Israeli "party line." Finally, the author is intimately connected with the Israeli defense establishment. Enough said. As previous reviewers have stated, the book was published to coincide with the release of Spielberg's film. However, I don't think the reasons were primarily commercial. I believe that the book is a semi-official effort to counter the ideas in the film, which angered the Israeli defense establishment. Despite its semi-official origins, this is an excellent book and I heartily recommend it. There are inaccuracies and errors, but the book is carefully laid out and argued. The main thesis of the book is that the post-Munich assassinations of PLO and Black September officials was not motivated only by retributive urges, but served the strategic aim of weakening the Palestinian terrorist bodies by "cutting off the head of the snake." You can take this argument or leave it (I am inclined to leave it, personally). However, the author makes a cogent argument in support of this point of view. It is important to understand that this thesis is not argued in a vacuum. It may be seen as a veiled arrow aimed at critics of the current assassination policy that the Israeli government is quite openly waging against Hammas and Islamic Jihad leaders in the West Bank and Gaza. The book is divided into two main parts. The first (and to me most compelling) part deals with the nearly unbelievable errors that led to the disaster of the Munich attacks. The book makes it clear that even discounting hindsight's skewed lens, the events were the result of incredible incompetence and hubris on the part of the Israeli and German governments (more the latter than the former). One particularly irking section deals with the German government's poor treatment of the victims families even decades after the events. In an effort to hide its culpability in the events, the German authorities hid the truth for over twenty years and were forced to finally `fess up and pay only after public uproar. The rest of the book deals with the assassinations themselves. It's interesting and very well written, but not novel. The topic has been covered previously by other books. Nevertheless, there are some news facts and it's extremely well written. I read it with great interest. I'll close by saying that the book was well translated into English from the Hebrew original. It is mercifully free of transliterated words (other than "Say'an", which is incorrectly used for a female - oy vey!).

Klein's Striking Back: The 1972 Munich Olympics Massacre and Israel's Deadly Response reads like the latest bestseller from the pen of a major author. Having lived through the events of 1972, I found Kleins account of the events succeeding the Olympic massacre to be terribly interesting and somehow very much on target in today's world. I only wish a certain major movie director had read this book before filming his version of the aftermath of the terrorist attack on defenseless athletes. Klein's story is fast paced, well written, well researched, and jumps off the page at the reader. Striking Back is unapologetic which makes it unusual. The events and the principle characters are presented in a manner that makes sense. As I read Striking Back, I had the feeling that I was at last being let in on inside information. Truly a wonderful read. Aaron Klein is perhaps one of only a handfull of individuals capable of writing of the events related to Munich. I'm so glad that he did.

This book gives a new angle to events that I have lived through, but never paused to really think about. It is hard to set the book aside, it flows, but it is really an eye opener, just to see events from a real-life perspective, and not a clichee and laconic description of black-and-white situations. I realize how the reality is much more deep, varied and interesting then I could ever imagine.