The Last Israelis

By Noah Beck

In this gripping doomsday thriller "ripped from the headlines," Iran has threatened to destroy Israel while developing the nuclear capability to do so.

Struck by a medical emergency, Israel’s Prime Minister falls unconscious just as military action is needed to stop Iran’s nukes.

History is now up to 35 Israelis aboard the Dolphin – a powerful submarine armed with nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles.

Ship unity is crucial to mission success, but deep conflicts rise to the surface among crewmembers who are ethnically diverse and ideologically divided.

Tensions boil further from the rivalry between the captain and his deputy, and a childhood tragedy that quietly haunts a younger sailor whose psychological wounds could explode at any time.

On their suspenseful voyage to Armageddon, the submariners must confront each other -- and pulse-pounding threats at sea -- before facing an unthinkable dilemma.

It will be the toughest decision of their lives – and it will determine the fate of the Middle East.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Apr 30, 2013
• ISBN: 9781626758247

Book preview

THE LAST ISRAELIS

Second Edition

By Noah Beck

Copyright 2013

All rights reserved

Table of Contents

Title Page

Acknowledgement

Credits

Preface

PART I: A Picnic Before Doomsday

Chapter 1: Existential Issues

Chapter 2: A Drill Cut Short

Chapter 3: Daniel

Chapter 4: Ambesah

Chapter 5: Yisrael

Chapter 6: A Promotion for Esty

Chapter 7: The Seeds of Doubt

Chapter 8: More Bad Signs

Chapter 9: Bao

Chapter 10: Final Goodbyes

PART II: The Voyage at Sea

Chapter 11: Mission Instructions

Chapter 12: The Native Arabic Speakers

Chapter 13: An Emotional Checkup on the Medic

Chapter 14: Geopolitics Over Poker

Chapter 15: Tensions on the Submarine Surface

Chapter 16: Miss Dolphin and Mister Life Vest

Chapter 17: The Suez Canal

Chapter 18: Bad News from Headquarters

Chapter 19: Best Friends Long Before the Dolphin

Chapter 20: Encounter in the Arabian Sea

Chapter 21: Power Struggle Over a Nuclear Attack

Chapter 22: A Warning for the Dolphin

Chapter 23: An Accident by Enemy Waters

Chapter 24: A Brief Respite

Chapter 25: Communication Problems

Chapter 26: Homesick

Chapter 27: Hunted by the Enemy

Chapter 28: Back from the Dead

PART III: Doomsday

Chapter 29: An Order to Attack

Chapter 30: The First Debate

Chapter 31: Hunting a Kilo and the Second Debate

Chapter 32: Standing at the Altar

Chapter 33: The Vote

Chapter 34: Evolving Votes and Post-Armageddon

Chapter 35: When the Sirens Went Off

Chapter 36: One Last Message From Headquarters

Chapter 37: A Terrorist on Board

Chapter 38: The Last Israelis

Chapter 39: The Nightmare

Epilogue: The Diplomatic Cable

Acknowledgement

This book would not have been possible without the valuable input provided by veterans of Israel’s submarine force, including one of its retired senior officers. I quickly learned that these individuals are exceptionally skilled and knowledgeable, precise and professional, and heroic yet humble. Getting to know them was a rare privilege, a source of inspiration, and one of the most enjoyable aspects of authoring this book. Their patience and good humor in answering my countless questions, even as they artfully dodged anything that might compromise national security, is immensely appreciated. As much as I wanted to acknowledge them individually, they insisted on absolute anonymity, and therefore must remain unnamed. I am also indebted to all of the family members and friends who took the time to review my manuscript and share their feedback with me: Eugie, Daniel, Guy, Chris, Bill, Adam, Cookie, Natasha, Steve, Lateesha, Mike, Victoria, Ante, Roy, Jo, Koichi, and Ofer.

Credits

Photo credits for images appearing on cover:

Photo of Dolphin submarine courtesy of the Israeli Submarine Force Veterans Association.

Photo of nuclear mushroom courtesy of National Nuclear Security Administration / Nevada Site Office.

Disclaimer:

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Preface

When I first began working on The Last Israelis in early April of 2012, I was operating under an extreme, externally imposed deadline: the P5+1 talks with Iran scheduled for May 24, 2012 in Baghdad. My quixotic goal for the novel was to impact those talks and hasten an effective resolution to the Iranian nuclear threat. Thus, the manuscript had to be produced at a grueling speed if it was to have any hope of being timely. But substantial rewriting – after helpful feedback from my early readers – led to two more drafts, causing me to miss both the Baghdad talks and the round of talks that followed on June 18th in Moscow. On July 2nd, I finally completed the manuscript and published it two days later, a few weeks before the July 24th nuclear talks between Iran and the EU in Istanbul.

As I write this, about eight months later, it is obvious that my novel has changed nothing to date (although this is hardly surprising, given how few novels alter the course of world events). Iran’s defiance of the international community has grown only bolder with the regime’s recent announcement that Iran will install IR-2M centrifuges that can enrich uranium at about quadruple the current rate of enrichment by Iran (using its less advanced IR-1 centrifuges). The much faster IR-2M centrifuges could enable the Islamic Republic to produce one weapon’s worth of highly-enriched uranium in about a week – the amount of time that IAEA inspectors might be absent before their next visit, effectively removing any early warning of Iran’s nuclear weaponization.

Of course, nobody wants war: it’s better to settle conflicts peacefully, goes the platitude. So the preferred approach is to resolve the standoff with diplomatic talks. But this has been tried for about a decade to no avail. As Iran gets closer to the nuclear finish line, it prefers to talk about talks, adding scheduling delays, various preconditions, and venue discussions to buy even more time. And Iran’s use of advanced IR-2M centrifuges now leaves even less time to talk. Nevertheless, I am still hopeful that in the little time that remains – with the bold use of sufficiently large carrots and sticks – world powers (particularly the United States) can induce Iran to change course without the use of force.

Iran’s refusal to halt its nuclear warpath only strengthened my resolve to expand the potential reach of the urgent message underlying The Last Israelis. Thus, in January of 2013, I decided to produce a second edition, this time adding paperback and audio book formats, to make the novel accessible to many more potential readers. Stopping Iranian nukes with a cautionary tale that inspires bolder leadership may be a strategy with poor odds of success, but it is certainly worth a try, given how high the stakes are. Time is short to avert Armageddon, and I can only hope that world powers will have enough courage and resolve to ensure that my novel stays firmly in the realm of fiction.

PART I: A Picnic Before Doomsday

I saw the ram goring westward, northward, and southward, and no beasts could stand before it, and no one could save [anyone] from its hand, and it did according to its will, and it grew.

— Daniel 8:4

Chapter 1: Existential Issues

A nightmare gripped the Prime Minister of Israel. He twisted the corner of his pillow, which had transformed into something critical in his dream, until he suddenly awoke, hyperventilating. He released the pillow and looked around, as he tried to reorient himself to reality. Stepping out of bed, the Prime Minister tried to ignore his pounding headache; he had worked through many over the last week.

He had barely made it to the closet and stress was already assaulting him from every direction. As he got dressed, competing pressures turned in his mind: political threats to bring down his governing coalition, a ballooning budget to balance, and – above all – a potentially existential military threat. There were countless conventional and chemical warheads already pointed at Israel, and nuclear warheads could soon enter the strategic picture. The emergency phone on his desk rang. He rushed to answer it.

The voice of the Mossad chief came over the line: Mr. Prime Minister, our intelligence assets indicate that we have only a week left before Iran will have placed all centrifuges and other key nuclear weapons components in Fordo. The head of Israeli intelligence was referring to the nuclear enrichment facility near Qom that was highly fortified against aerial attack, in part because Iran had built it deep inside a mountain.

But wasn’t Fordo sabotaged?

Only in a minor way. Iran exaggerated the damage to make world powers think that there was more time to stop them.

So in a week we will have no more military option to delay their nuclear program? he asked, in alarm.

Yes, Sir.

His headache throbbing, the Prime Minister hung up the phone and called the Chief of General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces. We are fast approaching the zone of immunity. Modify existing military plans to launch a strike in 48 to 72 hours.

Yes, Sir.

The Israeli leader now needed to coordinate with his strongest ally. His first impulse was to try to call the President of the United States, but there was no telling how long it would take to get through. More importantly, the Prime Minister didn’t want it to seem as if he was somehow requesting permission to defend his own country. This was more of a courtesy call among friends, to put the American President on notice, since the United States could easily be drawn into the conflict in the event of an Israeli strike. The Prime Minister also wanted there to be a historical record of his last attempt to persuade the world’s only superpower to eliminate a threat that no other country, including his own, could address as effectively and decisively. So he wrote a diplomatic cable to the President, knowing that a phone call from him would soon follow.

The cable detailed the many reasons to stop the Iranian threat by force. It also mentioned the closing window of opportunity for Israeli military action but included an accommodation: I am preparing a military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities sometime in the next three to seven days. If, in the next 24 hours, you provide me with a written reassurance that the United States will give Iran a firm ultimatum, backed by overwhelming force, requiring the complete and verified dismantling of their nuclear program starting within 48 hours, then I will cancel the strike.

Immediately after dispatching his message, the Prime Minister called his chief of staff. Get everyone into my study for a working breakfast, starting immediately. Then inform the security cabinet that I’m convening an emergency meeting scheduled for one hour from now. Bring the entire Iran dossier with you to the breakfast meeting.

The premier would need to brief his security cabinet on the latest developments and address any objections or concerns that might be raised regarding an Israeli military strike. There was sure to be a vigorous debate, even though the idea of preemptively attacking Iran had already been vetted in the international press, thanks in part to various public pronouncements by former intelligence officials. Things that should have been left for careful deliberation by the security cabinet alone turned into a political football covered by the world media, he thought to himself, shaking his head. This must be the most ungovernable democracy on the planet!

The Prime Minister walked into a nearby room, where his entire staff was ready for his next instructions. He and his aides were soon perusing various intelligence reports and analyses to decide what to include in his presentation to the security cabinet. As the country’s top decision-maker looked over some documents, he noticed that his vision had become a bit blurry. He ignored the issue, since he hadn’t slept much during the last few nights and figured it was just fatigue.

After the breakfast meeting, the Prime Minister walked towards the car outside waiting to shuttle him to the security cabinet meeting. His headache intensified and, before he could make it all the way to the door, he suddenly fell to the floor, with some classified documents spilling out of the folder in his hand. His aides scrambled to get an emergency evacuation to the nearby Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem. The Prime Minister was unresponsive.

****

Within 20 minutes, the unconscious premier was at the hospital with his wife nearby. An entire nation would soon be worried about the health of its leader, but she was fretting about her husband. The doctors used magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scans to investigate the problem before concluding that the Prime Minister had a brainstem tumor that was dangerously increasing intracranial pressure. The attending physicians immediately intubated him in order to decrease the pressure via hyperventilation; they also intravenously administered mannitol and high-potent steroids, while keeping his head elevated at a 30-degree angle.

The senior neurologist on the emergency medical team treating the Prime Minister addressed the leader’s wife and aides: It’s quite serious because the brainstem affects vital functions like blood pressure, breathing, and heart rate. The good news is that the tumor is clearly separated from surrounding brain tissue, so it’s still possible to resect it with brain surgery. And advances in microsurgical techniques are making such surgery much more successful than in the past. We should be able to get him the very best treatment fast enough for his cognitive function to be preserved.

What’s the bad news? his wife asked.

We generally have world class medicine, but the best specialists for this particular procedure are not in Israel. He needs the surgery as soon as possible, so we don’t recommend flying all the way to the United States. There are top neurosurgeons specializing in brainstem operations that we can recommend in Germany.

The Prime Minister’s chief of staff reminded the doctors of the need for absolute secrecy: We don’t want the public to panic. And we don’t want our enemies to think that the country is without effective leadership right now.

We understand. We will abide by our professional duties toward the Prime Minister as we would toward any patient.

About 90 minutes after he had fallen to the floor, the Prime Minister was transported from Hadassah Medical Center to an emergency military evacuation plane. Following the three-hour flight to Frankfurt, the Israeli leader was carted under tight security into the emergency room of a Frankfurt hospital with one of Europe’s top neurosurgeons.

During the Prime Minister’s hospitalization in Germany, the Deputy Prime Minister would take over the leadership of the country. The developments requiring the power transfer would be disclosed, under the strictest of confidentiality, only to him and the remainder of the Prime Minister’s security cabinet. The rest of the country and the world would be told only that the Israeli premier had been hospitalized for a medical procedure. Once his prognosis became clearer, his aides – together with the Deputy Prime Minister and the rest of the security cabinet – would decide how much more to disclose to the public.

As important as the Prime Minister was to the fate of his country, a group of men on a submarine would be even more important. However, they wouldn't realize their historic role until after they enjoyed a brief, but much-needed visit with some of their loved ones.

Chapter 2: A Drill Cut Short

As captain of the Israeli Navy’s mightiest vessel, Daniel Zion rarely felt powerless and anxious. But something sinister was astir and neither his rank nor his formidable submarine could help him. Why had Admiral Rafi Levy suddenly ordered him to cut the submarine drill short and return to shore after just ten days?

This unexpected command came on the heels of two other surprising developments over the last eight days, both of which Daniel had learned from the daily updates sent to his submarine by headquarters. Eight days ago, naval command relayed to Daniel what international news channels were all reporting: that the Prime Minister of Israel had been hospitalized overseas. Then, yesterday, naval command sent him an update with another alarming piece of headline news: Iran had declared that its nuclear program was now safely hidden in Fordo and therefore impervious to any Israeli military attack.

Was there some kind of connection between these dramatic developments from the last eight days and Admiral Levy’s abrupt order to return to shore briefly before a major mission? Daniel searched his commanding officer’s voice for a clue. But his deep and perfectly calm voice sounded almost purposely indecipherable.

We need to resupply the Dolphin. And we’ll be hosting a four-hour picnic for the entire crew and their family and friends, Rafi said. We’ve arranged quite the feast for everyone. It’s the least we can do, since your next mission will commence immediately after that.

Thus, even though Daniel controlled the Dolphin submarine, equipped with eight torpedoes and ten Popeye Turbo cruise missiles that could deliver a 200-kiloton nuclear warhead 1,500 kilometers away, the captain could do nothing in the face of Rafi’s command. In a simple, two-minute exchange over the submarine’s high frequency radio, the admiral had summarily revoked the two-week shore leave that Daniel and his crew had been impatiently awaiting for the last ten days.

Sir, with so little notice, we may be the only people at the picnic.

I realize that. It was a spontaneous decision in naval command. We just have to invite everyone and hope for a good turnout, Rafi said. Not many people can change their schedule and show up with just two hours’ notice. But we should at least make the effort. So I’ll need contact details for any additional guests the crew may want to invite, to increase the odds that someone will be waiting for them upon arrival.

Yes, Sir. I’ll speak to them about it.

Daniel earned his rank in part thanks to his keen instincts, and there was definitely something inauspicious about the hasty change of plans. What mission could be so urgent that our naval exercises and two-week shore leave had to be abruptly cancelled? he wondered to himself.

The captain knew from experience that insufficient breaks from the submarine could set his men off. Physical and mental pressure – from thousands of kilometers of water traveled in a small, enclosed space – tended to shorten the crew’s temper, lower its morale, and decrease its efficacy. With enough uninterrupted time in a submarine, things had a way of deteriorating quickly and dangerously. But his superiors knew this as well as Daniel did. So there must have been a good reason for them to do this.

Maybe this is a picnic before doomsday, he joked darkly to himself. One last taste of heaven before hell. In the absence of facts, speculation could easily take over, and Daniel didn’t have the whole picture – just an uneasy gut. Even his superiors didn’t have the whole picture. Only God and History had that.

Daniel and the other 34 men who manned the Dolphin were a motley collection of extraordinary individuals whose appearance could not have looked any more ordinary. Each was of slight build and no taller than 5’10 inches for easier maneuvering within the cramped quarters of their deadly stealth ship. None of the sailors seemed associated with a vessel that could kill 20 million people in under an hour. And yet they were collectively responsible for the fate of an underwater craft with enough destructive power to vaporize entire countries.

Each of the men under Daniel’s command was certain to feel crestfallen upon hearing about the change in plan and would be looking to the captain for assurance. Daniel resolved to do everything he could to rally his men through the disappointment. Whatever baleful challenges awaited the crew on their next mission, their responses to them would have to be flawless, Daniel thought to himself, so their emotions had to be carefully managed along the way.

As the captain once remarked to an old university classmate, Each of my men is like a musician in an orchestra that I must conduct perfectly. One false note and the entire performance can be killed – literally – when the symphony is at sea. What he hadn’t revealed to his friend, however, was how responsible he felt for the equally complicated, non-military life that continued in each crewmember’s absence.

As Daniel delivered the new orders from headquarters, he tried his utmost to ignore the dejected reactions of his men. Experience had taught the captain the power of concentration: With enough intensity, mental focus could quickly divert the mind from the upsetting to the practical. The sooner his commands moved on from the disappointing news, the more likely he was to deflect the crew from their most natural and immediate reaction to it.

Naval command is already inviting each of your family members, but if there’s anyone else you want them to invite, I need to know right away, he explained over the public announcement system. The sooner I have an updated list, the more notice your additional guests will have, and the more likely they are to show up in time.

It wasn’t until the 1,700-ton Dolphin was finally advancing towards the Haifa shore that Daniel allowed himself to relax a little. He relished the sight of the submarine’s 60-meter-long, aqua-green hull glistening under the splashing water of the Mediterranean Sea. Uplifted by the crews’ cheers at the sight of the assembled guests in the distance, Daniel finally surrendered to the giddy anticipation of reuniting with his family. No matter how many times he and the other submariners had experienced a homecoming, those final few hundred meters before arrival were always exhilarating.

Daniel wondered who from his world would show up on such short notice. He was fairly certain that his wife Sivan would be there with their youngest daughter, Esty. He couldn’t wait to see the four-year old, who was turning into quite the character. All sweetness and light, he chuckled to himself, with her adorable manipulations! His mood dimmed slightly as he predicted that his two older children would probably be unable to leave their high school classes.

Standing atop the mast, Daniel peered out across the water at the shady lawn near the base, trying to spot Sivan among the distant faces of the gathered guests. Within a few minutes, he could finally make out her dark, wavy hair and the outline of her figure. She crouched down next to little Esty so that she could point out the part of the submarine where she might be able to spot Daddy. They waved to him, not knowing for sure that it was he on the mast. He waved back and breathed a long sigh of relief. I wouldn’t trade the next four hours for anything, he thought to himself.

Protocol requires that the captain disembark first from the submarine, in symbolic homage to his rank and because there was often a military or political VIP waiting to greet him on land. So once the Dolphin was moored to the pier and placed into a safe standby mode, Daniel was the first of the submariners to climb down the accommodation ladder from the top of the hoisted mast to the land base. The other 34 sailors were standing on the outer deck, queued up and waiting for permission to go ashore. At the head of the line was the deputy captain, Yisrael, who stood at the top of the accommodation ladder, waiting for Daniel to finish his exchange with Admiral Levy so that he could go down next.

As each man descended from the final rung to the safe and sturdy pier beneath his feet, he experienced a joy that only a submariner could truly grasp – elated by the endless room to run around and move freely without calculation or contortion. The guests who had gathered on such short notice to visit their loved ones were buoyed by seeing the crewmembers relish the mundane pleasures that most people take for granted. For those submariners lucky enough to see visitors waiting for them on the fenced lawn nearby, their next steps, after respectfully greeting the admiral, quickened to a restrained run ending in a joyful embrace.

On the far end of the lawn, facing the sea, were several long picnic tables full of delicious food for the guests and – most importantly – the submariners who hadn’t tasted such delights in weeks and were expecting to be deprived for many more weeks. Just as they reveled in the pleasure of unimpeded movement, the men would equally savor the gustatory gratification of fresh food. The cuisines waiting for them were as diverse as the crew: Indian, Vietnamese, Persian, Ethiopian, and Druze dishes, along with an abundant variety of Middle Eastern dips and meats, salads chopped from vegetables fresh from local farms, and plenty of chocolate desserts and fresh fruits. The men would soon be gorging greedily and guiltlessly, trying to compensate for the ten days of culinary mediocrity that had just ended and the even longer period ahead. The delectable spread would also ensure that some mingling among the crew and their guests would take place, even as each sailor re-connected with his own private world for a precious few hours.

The younger, unmarried submariners would be visited by parents, siblings, girlfriends, and friends. The senior officers would be greeted mostly by their wives, and in some cases also by their children. The six crewmembers whose family and friends were too far away to visit on such short notice would use the time to call their loved ones by phone, kick around a soccer ball, have a beer, and indulge in some truly carefree relaxation.

Chapter 3: Daniel

The captain stepped down from the last rung of the accommodation ladder onto the pier and saluted Admiral Levy, who was waiting for him.

It’s good to see you again, Daniel, the admiral said, returning the salute.

Thank you, Sir. It’s good to be back. Daniel had a penetrating, fearless stare, even when talking to his superiors.

"Again, I’m sorry that we had to cancel the break. I know how hard it is on you and the crew. But we did our best to make up for it

Reviews for The Last Israelis

[spunnsugarz · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

With the Prime Minister of Israel hospitalized, it's a perfect time for Iran to make good on their threat of taking care of Israel once and for all with their nuclear weapons that are almost complete. That's when the Dolphin, an Islraelis submarine, is called back to reassemble for a mission of their own.Daniel Zion, who is captain, and thirty-four other men, all from different walks of life, become the crew of the sub. All of the men have their own beliefs and thoughts of what is happening and what should happen, and the sub fills with hate and distrust among them.Meanwhile, while they are under water, they lose contact with Naval Command. Now, they have to decide if they should go ahead with their orders of setting off missiles or not. But leading up to this decision is a journey of epic proportions - the men have dreams that are hard to distinguish between reality, there is an enemy sub in the waters, a fire and more. It's a treacherous and realistic adventure that will give you thrills and chills. Noah Beck has written such a multi-faceted novel; one filled with politics, life-altering choices, back-to-back action and compelling characters. I could easily see this novel made into a movie - it's so vivid and surreal. Riveting, exciting and too close for comfort, The Last Israelis is a well-written novel that is sure to be a best-seller. I finished days ago and I'm still absorbing everything. It's definitely impactive!

[andrewpessin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The book begins with what seems to be a slower pace -- you get to know the crew members through a brief shore-leave picnic, and at first there isn't a lot of action. But then you realize that this is deliberately done, so that when the action and the tension begin, about a third of the way through, you are experiencing them through the lenses of the different characters, whom you know well by this point. Amongst the novel's strengths is its great ability to give you different perspectives on the issues in question -- and there is real conflict between the crew members' views, all of which are drawn fairly, and with substance -- making this novel as much an intellectual thriller as a military and psychological one. By about the halfway point you won't want to put it down -- the tension has built slowly but unrelentingly, and the climax is really quite intense ... A very good read, a gripping read, and ultimately a chilling one -- lots to think about for anyone concerned about matters middle east ... as a philosopher (author most recently of Uncommon Sense: The Strangest Ideas from the Smartest Philosophers), I had plenty to engage with ... and as a fan of thrillers, I had plenty to be thrilled by!

[ckruschke_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was privileged to receive an advance copy of "The Last Israelis" and it was every bit as engaging as promised. When the Israeli Prime Minister awakens to receive intelligence that a nuclear Iran is only days away, he is left with a choice - what to do to safeguard his small nation when a Muslim nation that has vowed to destroy Israel can carry out the threat with just a push of a button. As the world's powers are sidelined by bickering and backroom deals, it appears that Israel is, as usual, alone.Accentuating Israel's cultural history, which through immigration is much the same as the US' own "melting pot", the crew of the nuclear submarine Dolphin nevertheless share a love for their country (adopted or not) that is stronger than their differences. However, even family disagrees. Faced with the continual "first-strike" threats of Iran's leadership, will the crew of the Dolphin be able to come together to perform the ultimate "second-strike" duties should the unthinkable happen?One part "Crimson Tide" and another part "Twelve Angry Men", the final third of the book is some of the fastest paced and most gripping literature I have ever read and I would hold it up against the writing of even the most established writers of political/military thrillers. Life on a claustrophic submarine is tough enough during peace time, but life on the Dolphin is made all the more tense when thoughts of family and old psychological scars rear their heads to mix with the stress of real-world ops.At a time, when Israel's very existence is being threatened by the impending doom of a their belligerent Muslim neighbors, this book is not only hard hitting, but topical. Will the US come to the rescue of Israel or will they be forced to "go it alone" as has repeatedly happened throughout their history because of the rest of the world's entanglements with the oil-rich Middle East. A must read for everyone who loves this nation - no matter where they live.

[kaleun76 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It could easily happen.What if your country was about to be attacked, possibly annihilated, what if you held your nation's last means of defense, its final means of retaliation, and what if you are isolated, cut off, with no way to confirm the orders that you are given, and even those orders are confusing and contradictory.This premise was made into a movie, Crimson Tide, with Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington. There is just one major difference: Your country is too small to survive a concerted nuclear, chemical and conventional attack.In fact, there is no country left for you to defend.What then?This is an amazing thriller that doesn't fit neatly into categories. It could be a techno-thriller but it does not have the emphasis on weapons systems that characterizes the genre. It is also a drama, with a deep philosophical undertone, and deep political meaning inside, all of it wrapped around a riveting story that will keep you turning pages, either paper or electronic ones.I cannot wait for more books by Mr. Beck.

[eleanor84_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A Dramatic Journey on a Nuclear-Armed SubThe timing of this suspenseful book is perfect - with all the controversy around Iran's nuclear ambitions dominating the headlines. I might disagree with the author on some geopolitical issues but the idea of the book is excellent. The horrific scenario in the novel shows what could happen IF the issue is not handled properly.What I really liked is the way the author combined reality with fantasy, modern with ancient... The Biblical stories and the dreams are absolutely fascinating. I also liked the conflict between the two main characters -- Daniel and Yisrael. Besides the very human emotions of jealousy and rivalry, it also vividly and fairly shows the divide within Israeli society between right and left-wingers, as well as the chasm that splits the government on whether to strike or not to strike.I am not Israeli myself but by reading this book I felt as if I had gotten to know a very diverse cross-section of the people in Israel and how they feel about a variety of issues. The author managed to show (very skillfully) the fears and hopes of living in the Holy Land.

[lateesha_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Let me start off by saying that if you're a fan of Joel Rosenberg's books like me then you'll really enjoy this book! I literally had a hard time putting this book down even while reading it sick. Mr. Beck writes about a scenario that can soon become all too real if something is not done about Iran's nuclear program. I don't want to go into too much detail about the story because I don't want to give anything away! You can definitely tell that the author did his research. The characters weren't cookie board cutouts and they also had a lot of depth to them. The details about submarine life and it's crew were realistic and believable. These men were humble, brave and true leaders. I actually cared about these characters. I hope that the United States president, and the members of Congress and the Senate read this book! It's a huge eye opener. The novel wasn't boring and the pacing was on point. I also didn't encounter any editing issues. There are 39 chapters including an epilogue. The novel is separated into three parts so it is not a quick read but once you pick it up and get going, you'll find yourself struggling to put it back down!If you like reading excellent thrillers with realistic plots and characters then I highly recommend reading this book. I truly enjoyed it and hope that you will too. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author in the future!L. Coleman

[alanelsner · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This thriller is most timely because it reminds us of a scenario that unfortunately is all too realistic. What if Iran develops a nuclear weapon and then uses it against Israel? That's the premise of this shocking book. The "last Israelis" are the captain and crew of a submarine that has put to sea and avoided the catastrophe. They must now decide whether to retaliate in kind against the Iranian regime.The crew are a cross-section of Israeli society and the author manages to paint their varied backgrounds and in so doing do full justice to the wonderful melting pot that Israel represents.This novel is welcome because it draws our attention to the very real threat that Iran represents, not just to Israel but to all that Israel represents -- civilized values, democracy, and the vast religious and cultural heritage of the Jewish people. Although the writing is a bit clunky and the dialogue is sometimes stilted, the book's urgent message overrides these slight flaws.

[jennleff · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The book amazing, I couldn't put it down! It was frightening to think that so many of the things in the book could come true so easily and so soon. I never even thought of the possibility that Iran can just buy nukes from Pakistan, I wouldn't be surprised if they do! I also really liked how the author portrayed Israeli society. So many people forget that 20% of Israeli citizens are Arab and the importance he places on that portion of the society is highly realistic and it is so great that he shows ARabs who are loyal to the State of Israel! Fantastic read!

[carolina28_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Last Israelis is one of those provocative and haunting books that stays with you long after you're done reading it. There was something really powerful about the way it all came together. I loved the role of dreams in the story -- they were incredibly vivid and disturbingly surreal.I'm not really into military fiction -- I tend to read psychological thrillers books. But there was so much psychological complexity -- from the way the characters interact with each other and with their own past/memories -- that it made for a fascinating read. I also really enjoyed the way different layers of a character's personality or personal story were revealed as the story progressed. I have a feeling I'm going to read the book again, because it's the type of novel where you learn more about the story, the characters, and the structure each time you pick it up again. I strongly recommend this book!

[kevinjoseph_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Last Israelis is unlike any thriller I've read before, and I mean that in a (mostly) good way. Its basic setting and concept call to mind military thrillers like The Hunt for Red October, but Noah Beck approaches the storytelling craft in a unique way. Beck is less interested in penning intricate plot twists and pulse-pounding action scenes than he is in creating a plausible doomsday scenario that highlights the contemporary threat that Iran's nuclear ambitions pose to the State of Israel. This one is right out of the newspaper folks, and should be required reading for our world leaders.Beck's interest in showcasing intellectual debate between his characters becomes evident early on, when the crew of the Dolphin is granted a brief shore leave to reunite with their families. He takes this opportunity to establish the back story for Captain Daniel Zion, his impotent deputy Yisrael, and other key members of the submarine's thirty-five-man crew. This stage-setting embues his characters with distinct personalities and motivations that later color the positions they take when the Dolphin loses contact with its command structure and must determine whether to unleash its arsenal of ten nuclear warheads on Iran.The novel grabbed and held my interest because of the authenticity of the politics, the realistic description of the submariners' craft, and the thought-provoking quality of the existential debate that occurs among the crew. In particular, I found the arguments over the moral justification for targeting a civilian population with weapons of mass destruction to be nuanced and thorough.But The Last Israelis interested me more in the vein of a compelling essay or punchy op-ed piece, than in the manner of a great novel. Beck has a tendency to tell rather than show, as many passages serve the single purpose of conveying information rather than moving the plot forward. He also tends to over-use flashbacks and lapse into lengthy dialogue that sounds more like an exchange between college professors than banter among seamen. As Beck becomes more comfortable with the craft of storytelling, I expect that he will find ways to influence the public debate on critical subjects in a novel that feels a little less like an essay.