Former head of Mossad urges Netanyahu to step down

The former head of Mossad, Yossi Cohen, has urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to step aside in interview with Channel 12. Cohen said Netanyahu should no longer serve as PM, claiming he “can’t unify” Israel the way it needs. It comes a week after Cohen said he should lead Israel, saying the public was demanding “real change” and that “for real change to happen, I need to be prime minister.” In the sit-down interview with Channel 12 journalist Dana Weiss, he criticised Israel’s military chiefs and defended his role in the controversial Qatari funding of Hamas-ruled Gaza over the years. Voicing disquiet at the security establishment for failing to prevent October 7, he said: “We are all in deep pain — myself included… The defense establishment is responsible for its sector; you should have known, known how to thwart [the attack], and known how to defend the border when it collapsed. I was stunned. I think this is something unforgivable.” He said he told the premier to “not rush into Gaza” without carefully reviewing the intelligence. “I told him: Examine very carefully the intelligence they present to you. Examine very carefully the readiness of the IDF before you decide to enter the Strip. They will tell you they know — did they? They will tell you they are ready — were they? They will tell you the army can go in tomorrow morning. Don’t buy it.” He added that the premier appeared to be in control in those early hours and days after the Hamas massacre, saying: “Bibi knows how to stay in control. This is not a man who easily falls apart under pressure, ever.” Cohen criticized what he called a long-standing “doctrine of avoidance” in the military, saying that over the years he recalled “weighty discussions” about striking Iran or Hezbollah, but “no decision was ever made.” [Missing Credit] Join the JC on 28 September for an exclusive evening with Yossi Cohen as he launches his new book, ‘The Sword of Freedom’. Cohen will sit down with JC editor Daniel Schwammenthal for a wide-ranging conversation on the secret to Israel’s military edge, the future of Gaza and Hamas, and the covert strategies that have kept the Jewish state ahead of its enemies. Expect a candid, gripping and timely discussion. Books are available for purchase with your ticket, and will also be available for purchase on the night. Find out more and book your tickets, here

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