The third night of Hanukkah was marked Tuesday evening with a special ceremony at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, where President Isaac Herzog and Mossad Director David Barnea awarded certificates of excellence to 12 Mossad employees for exceptional contributions to Israel’s security.
The annual ceremony, now in its fifteenth year, was attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Mossad chiefs, senior commanders, family members of the honorees and agency personnel.
The recipients represent a wide range of disciplines within the Mossad, including operational activity, intelligence, cyber, technology and agent handling. Among those honored were an operative who conducted missions in an enemy country and participated in complex operations that yielded high-value intelligence; an officer specializing in recruitment and agent handling who developed a source at the heart of an adversary’s secret apparatus; and three female field operatives - including an Iran-born operative, a former commando and a third-generation Mossad member - who led missions across the globe.
Other honorees included a veteran intelligence officer who played a key role in disrupting terrorist infrastructure and preventing attacks against Israelis and Jews, as well as a senior operative and commander who also distinguished himself during intense fighting in the Gaza border region during the October 7th massacre.
In the technology category, awards were presented to cyber, digital, and operational technology specialists whose work produced unique capabilities and provided the Mossad with a significant technological edge in multiple arenas.
According to the Mossad, the honorees embody the organization’s core values - excellence, innovation, commitment, discretion, and an unwavering dedication to national security.
During the event, Barnea, Herzog, and Netanyahu lit a menorah.
In remarks at the ceremony, Mossad chief David Barnea addressed Iran’s nuclear ambitions, saying that despite the Iranian regime’s realization that its systems have been deeply penetrated, it has not abandoned its goal of destroying Israel. He warned against renewed attempts to advance what he described as a flawed nuclear agreement and emphasized that Iran’s uranium enrichment has no civilian justification. Barnea said Israel, in close coordination with the United States, will ensure that Iran’s nuclear project - which he said has already suffered severe setbacks - is never reactivated.
Barnea also expressed condolences to the families of victims of the Bondi Beach shooting and warned of continued efforts by Iran-backed groups and jihadist organizations, including ISIS, to target Jewish and Israeli sites worldwide. “The goal of terrorism is to break our spirit,” he said. “It will not succeed. We will continue to live our lives and celebrate our holidays. We will pursue the attackers, their Iranian handlers, and jihadist accomplices wherever they flee, and justice will be done. Light will overcome darkness.”
Concluding his remarks, Barnea praised the award recipients, calling them among the finest in the organization. He said they represent the full breadth of Mossad activity and have worked tirelessly over the past two years, often at great personal sacrifice. “You are the spearhead of our operational efforts,” he said. “I am proud of you, the Mossad is proud of you, and the citizens of Israel are proud of you - even without knowing your names or your deeds.”