Recent from talks
Victor Ostrovsky
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Victor Ostrovsky
Victor John Ostrovsky (Hebrew: ויקטור אוסטרובסקי; born 28 November 1949) is an Israeli-Canadian author and intelligence officer who was a case officer in the Israeli Mossad for 14 months before his dismissal. After leaving the Mossad, Ostrovsky authored two books about his service with the Mossad: By Way of Deception, and The Other Side of Deception several years later. Former US Congressman Paul Findley and Pete McCloskey stated Ostrovsky's courage saved the life of former president George H. W. Bush. However, both books were criticized by Israeli journalists, scholars, and historians stating it lacked historical accuracy and contained sensationalist claims.
Victor John Ostrovsky was born on November 28, 1949, in Edmonton, Alberta, to Jewish parents. His father was a Canadian-born Jew who served with the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II as a tail gunner on a Lancaster bomber, taking part in more than 20 missions over Germany. His plane was shot down over Germany, but he managed to escape and return to active service. After the war, he joined the Israeli military to fight in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
Ostrovsky moved to Israel as a child and grew up in Holon.
Ostrovsky joined the Israeli Youth Brigade at 14 and quickly became an expert marksman, finishing second in a 1964 national shooting competition, with a score of 192 out of 200. At the age of 17, he joined the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) after a minor eye condition ended his hopes of becoming a pilot.[citation needed]
In the IDF, Ostrovsky was assigned to the Military Police and later the Israeli Navy. He rose to the rank of major.
Ostrovsky worked in the Mossad from 1984 to 1986. The Mossad confirmed Ostrovsky's employment, but, after publication of the book, heavily issued statements to discredit his employment and credibility. Ostrovsky worked in the Mossad with over a year of service, 14 months total, as a case officer. According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Ostrovsky was fired from Mossad for insubordination.
He operated Ostrovsky Fine Art Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona. While he has painted many subjects, he is best known for his Metaphors of Espionage collection, inspired by his days as a spy for the Mossad.[citation needed]
In 1990, he published By Way of Deception, a memoir of his years in the Mossad. On 12 September 1990, the Israeli embassy in Ottawa successfully obtained a court order temporarily blocking the book's publication in Canada. On the same day, the New York Supreme Court barred publication in the United States. According to the Israeli government, Ostrovsky wrote the book in violation of the official secrets contract he signed when he employed by Mossad. The New York judgment was reversed by an appeals court on 13 September. Notoriety surrounding the book led to it becoming popular. By October 1990, the book was number one on the New York Times bestseller list. The book quickly gained popularity, and earned nearly $2 million in royalties from the book.
Hub AI
Victor Ostrovsky AI simulator
(@Victor Ostrovsky_simulator)
Victor Ostrovsky
Victor John Ostrovsky (Hebrew: ויקטור אוסטרובסקי; born 28 November 1949) is an Israeli-Canadian author and intelligence officer who was a case officer in the Israeli Mossad for 14 months before his dismissal. After leaving the Mossad, Ostrovsky authored two books about his service with the Mossad: By Way of Deception, and The Other Side of Deception several years later. Former US Congressman Paul Findley and Pete McCloskey stated Ostrovsky's courage saved the life of former president George H. W. Bush. However, both books were criticized by Israeli journalists, scholars, and historians stating it lacked historical accuracy and contained sensationalist claims.
Victor John Ostrovsky was born on November 28, 1949, in Edmonton, Alberta, to Jewish parents. His father was a Canadian-born Jew who served with the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II as a tail gunner on a Lancaster bomber, taking part in more than 20 missions over Germany. His plane was shot down over Germany, but he managed to escape and return to active service. After the war, he joined the Israeli military to fight in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
Ostrovsky moved to Israel as a child and grew up in Holon.
Ostrovsky joined the Israeli Youth Brigade at 14 and quickly became an expert marksman, finishing second in a 1964 national shooting competition, with a score of 192 out of 200. At the age of 17, he joined the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) after a minor eye condition ended his hopes of becoming a pilot.[citation needed]
In the IDF, Ostrovsky was assigned to the Military Police and later the Israeli Navy. He rose to the rank of major.
Ostrovsky worked in the Mossad from 1984 to 1986. The Mossad confirmed Ostrovsky's employment, but, after publication of the book, heavily issued statements to discredit his employment and credibility. Ostrovsky worked in the Mossad with over a year of service, 14 months total, as a case officer. According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Ostrovsky was fired from Mossad for insubordination.
He operated Ostrovsky Fine Art Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona. While he has painted many subjects, he is best known for his Metaphors of Espionage collection, inspired by his days as a spy for the Mossad.[citation needed]
In 1990, he published By Way of Deception, a memoir of his years in the Mossad. On 12 September 1990, the Israeli embassy in Ottawa successfully obtained a court order temporarily blocking the book's publication in Canada. On the same day, the New York Supreme Court barred publication in the United States. According to the Israeli government, Ostrovsky wrote the book in violation of the official secrets contract he signed when he employed by Mossad. The New York judgment was reversed by an appeals court on 13 September. Notoriety surrounding the book led to it becoming popular. By October 1990, the book was number one on the New York Times bestseller list. The book quickly gained popularity, and earned nearly $2 million in royalties from the book.