The President’s Residence in Jerusalem was abuzz with a rare sense of celebration and solemnity on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, as Israel’s top leaders gathered to honor a select group of individuals whose faces will likely never be known to the public. At the heart of the 15th annual Mossad Excellence Awards ceremony stood twelve Mossad employees—four women and eight men—each recognized for their extraordinary service and critical contributions to Israel’s security during what has been a tumultuous two years of war and uncertainty.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Mossad Director David Barnea, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presided over the event, joined by former Mossad directors, agency employees, commanders, and the families of the honorees. The timing was poignant: the third night of Hanukkah, a season synonymous with miracles, resilience, and the enduring spirit of the Jewish people.
Prime Minister Netanyahu, invoking the legendary ethos of Israel’s elite military units, told the assembled crowd, “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 and reported by Algemeiner, Netanyahu continued, “I commend the people of Israel that we have a modern-day generation of Maccabees performing miracles and wonders.”
Those honored this year represent the full spectrum of Mossad’s clandestine activities. Among them are field operatives who venture into hostile territories, recruitment and case officers, peer operators, operations personnel, cyberwarfare specialists, and top-tier subject matter experts in intelligence, technology, and headquarters functions. Their work is, by necessity, shrouded in secrecy, but the impact is unmistakable—and, as the ceremony made clear, deeply appreciated at the highest levels of government.
Mossad Director David Barnea, speaking with visible pride, addressed the honorees directly: “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 battlefield.” Barnea’s words, as reported by Algemeiner, underscored the personal sacrifices made by these agents—sacrifices that often go unrecognized by the public, but are deeply felt within the Mossad itself.
“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 continued. The ceremony, now in its fifteenth year, is one of the few moments when the Mossad’s invisible warriors are brought into the light—if only for an evening, and only in the most guarded of ways.
But the night was not solely about celebration. Against the backdrop of the awards, Barnea delivered a stark warning about the ongoing threat posed by Iran. Reflecting on the 12-day war with Israel in June 2025—a conflict that saw Iran’s air defense capabilities shattered and its nuclear sites decimated—Barnea cautioned that the threat is far from over. “Even though the ayatollah regime woke up one moment to discover that Iran is exposed and completely penetrated, Iran has not abandoned its ambition to destroy the State of Israel,” he said. “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.”
Barnea’s remarks, echoed in statements from the Prime Minister’s Office and covered by Algemeiner, highlight a central pillar of Israeli security doctrine: the imperative to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear weapons capability. For years, the Mossad has been at the forefront of this shadow conflict, conducting daring operations inside Iran and working closely with international allies, particularly the United States. The director’s comments made clear that, despite recent successes, vigilance remains essential.
The ceremony also took a somber turn as Barnea addressed the recent tragedy at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, where a Hanukkah celebration was shattered by a deadly terrorist attack that left 15 dead and at least 40 wounded. Expressing condolences to the families of the victims, Barnea drew a direct line between the attack and the broader security threats facing Jews worldwide. “The murderous terrorist idea of harming innocent civilians was, and remains, at the base of the current Iranian regime’s security strategy,” he said. “Our hearts are with the families of the Australian victims.”
He continued, “The purpose of these terrorist attacks is to break our spirit. Our spirit will not be broken; we will continue to celebrate our holidays and live our lives in Israel and around the world. Justice will be done and will be seen.” According to Algemeiner, the Mossad is actively assisting Australian authorities in investigating the massacre. Notably, the agency had reportedly warned Australian officials in recent months about an increased risk of terrorist attacks targeting the Jewish community—a chilling reminder of the global reach of the threats Israel faces, and the proactive role its intelligence services play beyond its borders.
For the families of the honorees, the ceremony was a rare opportunity to see their loved ones recognized, if not fully revealed, for their courage and commitment. For the broader public, the event offered a fleeting glimpse into the world of those who operate in the shadows, defending a nation that often finds itself on the front lines of history. The Mossad’s work, by its nature, is rarely acknowledged in real time. Successes are measured not in headlines, but in crises averted and lives saved—often without fanfare, and always with a heavy burden of secrecy.
As the ceremony drew to a close, the message from Israel’s leadership was clear: the country’s security depends on the dedication, ingenuity, and bravery of its intelligence community. In honoring these twelve individuals, the nation recognized not just their individual achievements, but the collective resilience that has sustained Israel through decades of adversity. And as the candles of Hanukkah burned bright in Jerusalem, the spirit of the Maccabees—ancient and modern—felt very much alive.