Kazim AlamFormer Israeli spymaster Yossi Cohen has announced that he could potentially challenge Benjamin Netanyahu for the premiership in elections scheduled for next year, setting the cat among the pigeons in a politically divided country over its long-winding war in Gaza.
Cohen, who led Mossad from 2016 to 2021, made the announcement during a podcast, where he also hinted at the possibility of forming a new party to take on Netanyahu’s Likud party.
Netanyahu is barely holding on to power amid mass protests over his failure to bring back Israeli hostages despite waging a nearly two-year-long war in Gaza, which has killed almost 63,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children.
Known for his eventful stint as spy chief and key role in the Abraham Accords that aimed to normalise diplomatic relations between Israel and many Arab states, Cohen appears to be leveraging his security credentials to position himself as a “unifying” figure in a deeply divided Israeli society.
His announcement has been covered widely by the Israeli media, which generally framed the move as long-anticipated.
Public discourse on social media largely echoed media reports, with some users suggesting the proliferation of opposition candidates like Cohen could inadvertently reduce chances for a coalition change by splitting votes. Reactions ranged from an “outstanding future leader” to a “used car salesman”.
Gokhan Batu, an Israel analyst at the Ankara-based Center for Middle Eastern Studies, tells TRT World that the military and intelligence apparatus occupy a “special status” in Israeli society.
“A solid career record and personal charisma often provide former soldiers and intelligence officers with an automatic layer of public support,” Batu says.
Cohen’s religious background and past alliances with right-wing figures, combined with his emphasis on “unity”, position him “somewhere between the centre and the right” on Israel’s political spectrum, according to Batu.
Mtanes Shehadeh, a former Knesset member, echoes this sentiment, telling TRT World that Cohen’s security credentials will constitute a “significant asset” in the political arena.
“In the Israeli mindset, Cohen’s name is tied to security and intelligence achievements, particularly in confronting Iran’s nuclear project,” he says.
Cohen claims credit for a 2018 operation in which Mossad stole Iran's nuclear archives from safes in a warehouse in Tehran.
Unlike some Israeli military leaders who have transitioned into politics – such as Benny Gantz, Yitzhak Rabin, or Ariel Sharon – Cohen’s move from the secretive world of intelligence to the political stage marks a novel development in Israel.
This is the first time that a former head of Mossad is seeking to run for prime minister's office, Shehadeh says.
While Cohen’s media presence and diplomatic achievements bolster his public image, these factors alone “are not sufficient” for Cohen to compete against Netanyahu, Shehadeh adds.
Netanyahu’s heir or rival?
Cohen’s historical ties to Netanyahu complicate his candidacy. Once considered a potential successor within Netanyahu’s Likud Party, alongside cabinet members like Ron Dermer who is leading negotiations for hostage release, Cohen now faces the delicate task of carving out an independent identity.
“Cohen was considered, alongside Dermer, as one of the two figures reportedly seen by Netanyahu as potential successors,” Batu says.
However, recent political shifts, including Dermer’s rumoured exit from politics, indicate a “political vacuum” that Cohen is positioning himself to fill, Batu adds.
Cohen is presenting himself as an alternative figure in the realms of “security and social cohesion”, he says.
Shehadeh, however, sees Cohen’s ties to Netanyahu as a potential liability instead.
“While the right-wing and far-right camps seek a strong figure similar to Netanyahu, the PM’s opponents do not want someone associated with or close to him,” he says.
Cohen has attempted to distance himself from Netanyahu, particularly since the controversial judicial overhaul plan in 2023 and the security failures of October 7, 2023.
“He sought to distinguish himself and present an independent identity,” Shehadeh says.
The platform of ‘unity and security’
Cohen’s campaign slogan of “unity and security” taps into two of Israel’s most pressing issues: the nationwide polarisation after the 2023 judicial overhaul and the security vulnerabilities exposed by the Hamas incursion on October 7, 2023.
Batu says that Cohen’s electoral promise of achieving unity seems fraught with challenges. Issues like rolling back judicial reforms, balancing the influence of far-right parties, and addressing the contentious issue of drafting ultra-orthodox Jews into the army are likely to “unleash further divisions and crises”, Batu says.
Moreover, Cohen’s rhetoric of unity “extends to very few ethnic groups beyond the Druze,” raising questions about its inclusivity.
Shehadeh is even more sceptical about the electoral platform of unity and security. Cohen’s singular focus on Jewish voters limits his appeal, he notes.
“He shows little interest in Arab voters, stemming from his belief that they would not support him,” Shehadeh says, attributing this stance to Cohen’s security background and the increasingly hostile atmosphere towards Arab citizens since October 2023.
This exclusionary approach, Shehadeh says, fails to address the needs of Israel’s non-Jewish population. Palestinian Israelis, a mostly Muslim minority group of 1.6 million citizens, constitute 21 percent of the country’s population.
In theory, Palestinian Israelis have the same legal rights as Jewish Israelis, but most of them live in poorer cities and face challenges that experts attribute to structural discrimination.
The new-party gamble
Cohen’s reported plan to form a new political party seems like a bold but risky move in Israel’s crowded political landscape.
There are numerous examples in Israel of parties built around charismatic leaders riding a wave into the Knesset, Batu says.
Cohen’s lack of political experience and the impending elections pose significant challenges. “He refuses to be ‘number two’… Establishing a new party less than a year before elections is a daunting and complex task,” Shehadeh says, noting that Cohen lacks the organisational infrastructure needed to compete effectively.
Yet his security expertise could be a trump card. “Security is an area where Cohen holds an advantage,” Batu says, pointing to his experience and charisma as assets that could resonate with voters weary of the ongoing war in Gaza.
Shehadeh, however, argues that Cohen’s refusal to join an existing party may hinder his prospects.
“Political and electoral work in Israel requires strong organisational frameworks, active presence across towns and cities, and a supportive social and popular base, elements Cohen currently lacks,” Shehadeh says.
