President Isaac Herzog and Mossad Director David Barnea presented on Tuesday evening certificates of excellence to 12 Mossad employees for their unique contributions to the security of Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also attended the ceremony held on the third night of Chanukah, told the honorees, “In my unit, the motto was: ‘Fortune favors the bold when the boss dares to approve.’ Regarding the visionary plans you, Dedi [Barnea], bring me all the time—I dare to approve, because I have absolute faith in your ability, your daring, and your commitment,” according to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office.
The Mossad Excellence Awards Ceremony, held at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem for the 15th year, was also attended by former Mossad directors, employees and commanders, and the families of the honorees.
The awards were given to four women and eight men, among them field operatives in enemy countries, recruitment and case officers, peer operators, operations personnel, cyberwarfare specialists and top-tier subject matter experts in the fields of headquarters, technology and intelligence, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
Netanyahu thanked the Mossad operatives and said that when he served in the Israel Defense Forces as a soldier and team commander, “I was once very angry at [Defense Minister] Moshe Dayan because he didn’t approve a certain operation, a very difficult operation we were supposed to carry out, and in the end, we did it. Then they gave me a kind of Plexiglas plaque with a photo of the unit’s [the General Staff Reconnaissance Unit, or Sayeret Matkal’s] soldiers and the motto we all share: ‘Who Dares Wins.’”
Barnea took the opportunity to warn that while Tehran was “completely penetrated” during the 12-day war in June, “Iran has not abandoned its ambition to destroy the State of Israel.
“The idea of continuing to develop a nuclear bomb still beats in their hearts. It is our responsibility to ensure that the nuclear project, which has been mortally wounded in close cooperation with the Americans, will never be activated,” he said.
The Mossad director told the honorees: “You are the 12 wonders, the excellence awardees chosen from the best of the best, representing the entire spectrum of our activities. You are the ones who, in the past two years, saw neither day nor night, did not see your families, and were entirely immersed in our success on the Mossad’s battlefield.
“You are our spearhead from the operational wings who risk their lives on a daily and hourly basis. I am proud of you. All the men and women of the Mossad are proud of you. The citizens of Israel are proud of you, even without knowing who you are or why you were chosen,” Barnea said.
The award was granted to 4 women and 8 men - field operatives in enemy countries, recruitment and case officers, peer operators, operations personnel, cyber warfare specialists, and top-tier subject matter experts in the fields of headquarters, technology, and intelligence. pic.twitter.com/ehhu1o8H9Y
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) December 16, 2025
