Yossi Cohen
Yossi Cohen | |
---|---|
יוסי כהן | |
| |
Director of Mossad | |
Assumed office January 2016 | |
Prime Minister | Benjamin Netanyahu |
Preceded by | Tamir Pardo |
9th National Security Advisor (Israel) | |
In office August 2013 – January 2016 | |
Preceded by | Yaakov Amidror |
Succeeded by | Yaakov Nagal (Acting) |
Yosef "Yossi" Meir Cohen (Hebrew: יוסי מאיר כהן; born 1961[1]) is the current Director of Mossad, the national intelligence agency of Israel.
Early life
Cohen was born in Jerusalem to a religious family and grew up in the Katamon neighborhood. His father, Leo, was a seventh-generation Israeli and Irgun veteran.[2] He worked at Bank Mizrahi, reaching a senior position there. His mother was a teacher.[3]
Career
Cohen was drafted into the IDF in 1979. He volunteered as a paratrooper in the Paratroopers Brigade. He served as a soldier and a squad leader. Not long after he was honorably discharged he was drafted in to the Mossad. Cohen is a 30-year-veteran of the Mossad and described as 'able to inspire the confidence of his charges'.[4] He ran agents in a number of countries over his career, and led the Mossad's collections division ("Tsomet").[5] From 2011 to 2013, he was the deputy director,[6] serving under Tamir Pardo. He was known publicly as "Y" (Hebrew: "י") in this post.[7] Cohen won the prestigious Israel Security Prize for his Mossad work.[8]
Intelligence reporter Ronen Bergman has written that Cohen has a reputation as a tough boss, that he speaks perfect English, French, and Arabic,[9] and is also a marathon runner.[10]
In August 2013 he was appointed the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Israel. In December 2015, Cohen was appointed to succeed Tamir Pardo as director of Mossad.[11][12] and assumed office in January 2016.
Cohen has four children.[8] One of his sons, Yonatan, is a former officer in Unit 8200 and has cerebral palsy.[13] He also has one granddaughter. He is nicknamed "the Model"[14] for his neat appearance.[4]
References
- ↑ "Deputy Mossad chief appointed national security adviser". The Times of Israel. 21 August 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
- ↑ Raoul Wootliff, "Netanyahu said set to tap Yossi Cohen as next Mossad chief", Times of Israel, 7 December 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
- ↑ Tom Dolev, "The next Mossad Director – Yossi Cohen", Jerusalem Online, 7 December 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
- 1 2 "The Israeli spymaster straight out of Le Carré". The Independent. 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2017-07-02.
- ↑ "Veteran Spy-Runner Moves from Mossad to be Netanyahu's Chief Advisor on National Security — Iran Options Are a Key Focus". IsraelSpy.com. 21 August 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
- ↑ http://www.algemeiner.com/2016/03/30/jewish-100-2015-yossi-cohen-government/
- ↑ Ronen Bergman (5 June 2011). "Mossad chief names new deputy". Ynetnews. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
- 1 2 Herb Keinon (21 August 2013). "PM names deputy Mossad head as new National Security council chief". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
- ↑ "What the new boss of Mossad means for Israeli foreign policy". The Economist. 8 December 2015. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
- ↑ "Is spy suited for role of Israeli premier's national security advisor?". i24news. 22 August 2013. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
- ↑ "Yossi Cohen is next Mossad Director". Debka.com. 7 December 2015.
- ↑ "Yossi Cohen named new Mossad chief". The Jerusalem Post. 7 December 2015.
- ↑ Itamar Eichner (26 August 2013). "Newly appointed National Security Advisor Cohen's son reveals moving family story". Ynetnews. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
- ↑ Ben Lynfield, "Yossi Cohen: The Israeli spymaster straight out of Le Carré and Ian Fleming takes charge of Mossad", The Independent, 8 December 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yossi Cohen. |
- Yossi Melman, WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE CHARMING HEAD OF THE MOSSAD?, The Jerusalem Post, September 7, 2018